Hosea 9

1 Do not rejoice, O Israel, with exultation like the nations, for you have played the harlot against your God; you have made love for hire on every threshing floor.

Do not choose to rejoice, Israel; do not celebrate as the crowds do. For you have been committing fornication against your God; you have loved a prize upon every threshing floor of wheat.

2 The threshing floor and winepress will not feed them, and the new wine will fail them.

The threshing floor and the oil press will not feed them, and the wine will deceive them.

3 They will not remain in the land of the LORD; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.

They will not dwell in the land of the Lord. Ephraim has been returned to Egypt, and he has eaten polluted things among the Assyrians.

4 They will not pour out wine offerings to the LORD, and their sacrifices will not please Him, but will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat will be defiled. For their bread will be for themselves; it will not enter the house of the LORD.

They will not offer a libation of wine to the Lord, and they will not please him. Their sacrifices will be like the bread of mourners. All those who eat it will be defiled. For their bread is of their soul; it will not enter into the house of the Lord.

5 What will you do on the appointed day, on the day of the LORD’s feast?

What will you do on the solemn day, on the day of the feast of the Lord?

6 For even if they flee destruction, Egypt will gather them and Memphis will bury them. Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles, and thorns will overrun their tents.

For, behold, they have been sent away by devastation. Egypt will gather them together; Memphis will bury them. Nettles will inherit their desired silver; the burr will be in their tabernacles.

7 The days of punishment have come; the days of retribution have arrived— let Israel know it. The prophet is called a fool, and the inspired man insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and hostility.

The days of visitation have arrived; the days of retribution are here. Know this, Israel: that the prophet was foolish, the spiritual man was mad, because of the multitude of your iniquities and the great extent of your foolishness.

8 The prophet is Ephraim’s watchman, along with my God, yet the snare of the fowler lies on all his paths. Hostility is in the house of his God!

The watcher of Ephraim was with my God. The prophet has become a snare of ruin over all his ways; insanity is in the house of his God.

9 They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah; He will remember their guilt; He will punish their sins.

They have sinned profoundly, just as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity, and he will repay their sin.

10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so they became as detestable as the thing they loved.

I discovered Israel like grapes in the desert. Like the first fruits of the fig tree, I saw their fathers on the end of its branches. But they went in to Baal-peor, and they have been estranged by intermingling, and they have become abominable, just like the things that they chose to love.

11 Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird, with no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.

Ephraim has chased away their glory like a bird: from birth, and from the womb, and from conception.

12 Even if they raise their children, I will bereave them of each one. Yes, woe be to them when I turn away from them!

And even if they should nurture their sons, I will make them without children among men. Yes, and woe to them, when I have withdrawn from them.

13 I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a meadow. But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter.

Ephraim, as I see it, was a Tyre, founded by beauty. And Ephraim will lead his sons to execution.

14 Give them, O LORD— what will You give? Give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that dry up!

Give them, O Lord. What will you give them? Give them a womb without children, and dry breasts.

15 All their evil appears at Gilgal, for there I hated them. I will drive them from My house for the wickedness of their deeds. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious.

All their wickedness is in Gilgal, for I held them there, in their hatred. Because of the malice of their inventions, I will expel them from my house. I will no longer say that I love them; all their leaders have retreated.

16 Ephraim is struck down; their root is withered; they cannot bear fruit. Even if they bear children, I will slay the darlings of their wombs.

Ephraim has been struck; their root has been dried out: by no means will they yield fruit. And even if they should conceive, I will execute the most beloved of their womb.

17 My God will reject them because they have not obeyed Him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

My God will cast them aside because they have not listened to him; and they will be wanderers among the nations.