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, O ye priests; and listen well, O ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for the punishment threateneth you; because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread out upon Thabor.

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

And for murdering they who had rebelled [against God] concealed themselves in deep places; but I will inflict correction on them all.

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 well know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me; for now, O Ephraim, hast thou played the harlot, [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.

Their doings will not permit them to return unto their God; for the spirit of lewdness is in their bosom, and the Lord they have not known.

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

Therefore shall the pride of Israel be humbled before his face: and Israel and Ephraim shall stumble in their iniquity; Judah also shall stumble 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6 They go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, but they do not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.

With their flocks and with their herds will they go to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him: he hath withdrawn himself from them.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.

Against the Lord have they dealt treacherously; for strange children have they begotten: now shall one month devour them together with their possessions.

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

Blow ye the cornet in Gib'ah, the trumpet in Ramah: blow the alarm at Beth-aven, [The enemy is] after thee, O Benjamin.

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

Ephraim shall be made desolate on the day of chastisement: among the tribes of Israel had I made known that which is true.

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 Judah were like those that remove the landmark: my wrath, therefore, will I pour out upon them like water.

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

Oppressed is Ephraim, broken through punishment; because he willingly walked after the commandment [of false prophets].

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

But like the moth became I unto Ephraim, and like rottenness to the house 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.

Then saw Ephraim his sickness, and Judah his wound, and Ephraim went to Asshur, and [the other] sent to the king that should contend [[Jareb]]; but he will never be able to heal you, nor remove from you your wound.

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 am as a lion unto Ephraim, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I myself will tear in pieces and go away; I will bear away, and none shall 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 [from here, and] return to my place, till they acknowledge their guilt, and seek my presence: in their affliction will they seek for me.