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 these things, you priests; and attend, O house of Israel; and listen, O house of the king; for the controversy is with you, because you have been a snare in Scopia, and as a net spread on Itabyrium,

2 The rebels are deep in slaughter; but I will chastise them all.

which they that hunt the prey have fixed: but I will correct you.

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, and Israel is not far from me: for now Ephraim has gone grievously a-whoring, 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.

They have not framed their counsels to return to their God, for the spirit of fornication is in them, and they have not known the Lord.

5 Israel’s arrogance testifies against them; Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; even Judah stumbles with them.

And the pride of Israel shall be brought low before his face; and Israel and Ephraim shall fall in their iniquities; and Judas also shall fall 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6 They go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, but they do not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.

They shall go with sheep and calves diligently to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him, for he has withdrawn himself from them.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.

For they have forsaken the Lord; for strange children have been born to them: now shall the cankerworm devour them and their heritages.

8 Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; raise the battle cry in Beth-aven: Lead on, O Benjamin!

Blow you the trumpet on the hills, sound aloud on the heights: proclaim in the house of On, Benjamin is amazed.

9 Ephraim will be laid waste on the day of rebuke. Among the tribes of Israel I proclaim what is certain.

Ephraim has come to nothing in the days of reproof: in the tribes of Israel I have shown faithful [dealings].

10 The princes of Judah are like those who move boundary stones; I will pour out My fury upon them like water.

The princes of Juda became as they that removed the bounds: I will pour out upon them my fury as water.

11 Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, for he is determined to follow worthless idols.

Ephraim altogether prevailed against his adversary, he trod judgment under foot, for he began to go after vanities.

12 So I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like decay to the house of Judah.

Therefore I [will be] as consternation to Ephraim, and as a goad to the house of Juda.

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.

And Ephraim saw his disease, and Judas his pain; then Ephraim went to the Assyrians, and sent ambassadors to king Jarim: but he could not heal you, and your pain shall in nowise cease from you.

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.

Therefore I am as a panther to Ephraim, and as a lion to the house of Juda: and I will tear, and go away; and I will take, and there shall be none to deliver.

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.”

I will go and return to my place, until they are brought to nothing, and [then] shall they seek my face.