< Hosea 5 >
1 “Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O royal house! For this judgment is against you because you have been a snare at Mizpah, a net spread out on Tabor.
Hear this, you priests! Pay attention, house of Israel! Listen, members of the royal family!
2 The rebels are deep in slaughter; but I will chastise them all.
Judgment belongs with you because you have been a snare set at Mizpah and a net spread out on Tabor. You dug a deep trap in Shittim, but I will punish you for all these things you have done.
3 I know all about Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me. For now, O Ephraim, you have turned to prostitution; Israel is defiled.
I know Ephraim very well, and Israel cannot hide from me, for now Ephraim is a prostitute and Israel is defiled.
4 Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God, for a spirit of prostitution is within them, and they do not know the LORD.
Your actions stop you from coming back to your God for a spirit of prostitution is within you and you do not know the Lord.
5 Israel’s arrogance testifies against them; Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; even Judah stumbles with them.
Israel's pride speaks against them, right in the face. Israel and Ephraim will stumble because of their guilt, and Judah will stumble along with them.
6 They go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, but they do not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.
They will go to seek the Lord with their herds and flocks, but they will not find him, for he has given up on them.
7 They have been unfaithful to the LORD; for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the New Moon will devour them along with their land.
They have been unfaithful to the Lord and have had children that are not his. Now the New Moon will destroy them along with their fields.
8 Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; raise the battle cry in Beth-aven: Lead on, O Benjamin!
Blow the horn in Gibeah! Sound the trumpet in Ramah! Shout an alarm in Beth-aven! Lead the way, Benjamin!
9 Ephraim will be laid waste on the day of rebuke. Among the tribes of Israel I proclaim what is certain.
Ephraim will be left desolate on the day of punishment. Among the tribes of Israel I will reveal what is the real truth.
10 The princes of Judah are like those who move boundary stones; I will pour out My fury upon them like water.
The rulers of Judah have become thieves like those who illegally move boundaries. I will pour out my anger like water upon them.
11 Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, for he is determined to follow worthless idols.
The people of Ephraim are crushed, smashed to pieces in judgment because they were determined to follow human commands.
12 So I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like decay to the house of Judah.
I am like a maggot to Ephraim, and like something rotten to the people of Judah.
13 When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria and sent to the great king. But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.
When Ephraim saw how sick they were, and Judah saw how wounded they were, Ephraim turned to the great king of Assyria for help, but he could not heal them or cure their wounds.
14 For I am like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them to pieces and then go away. I will carry them off where no one can rescue them.
For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, like a fierce lion to the people of Judah. I will come and tear them to pieces, and carry them off, and no one will be able to rescue them.
15 Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”
Then I will leave and return to where I came from until they acknowledge their wrongs, and in their distress they will seek my face and beg for my help.”