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.

Rejoice not, O Israel, Exult not, like the nations! For thou committest fornication, forsaking thy God! Thou lovest hire on every corn-floor.

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

The floor and the vat shall not feed them, And the new wine shall 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 shall not dwell in the land of Jehovah; To Egypt shall Ephraim go back, And eat unclean things in Assyria.

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 shall pour out no offerings of wine to Jehovah, Nor shall their sacrifices please him; They shall be to them as the bread of mourners; All that eat thereof shall be polluted. Their bread shall be for their own hunger; It shall not come into the house of Jehovah.

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

What will ye do in the festal day, In the day of the feast of Jehovah?

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 go forth from a wasted land; Egypt shall gather them; Memphis shall bury them; The precious places of their silver, Nettles shall possess them; Thorns shall spring up in their habitations.

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 are come; The days of retribution are come— Israel shall know that the prophet was foolish, That the man of the spirit was mad— For the greatness of` thy iniquity, and thy great hatred.

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!

If Ephraim seek an answer from my God, The prophet is as the snare of the fowler in all his ways, A net 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 deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah; He will remember their iniquity; He will requite their sins.

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 found Israel as grapes in the wilderness; As the early fruit on the fig-tree, at its first time of bearing, I saw your fathers. But they went to Baal Peor, And separated themselves to shame, And had abominable idols according to their love.

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

The glory of Ephraim shall fly away as a bird; They shall not bring forth, nor bear in the womb, nor conceive;

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!

Yea, if they bring up children, I will utterly bereave them; Yea, woe to them when I depart from them!

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

I have seen Ephraim planted, like Tyre, in a rich pasture, Yet shall Ephraim bring out his children to the murderer.

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

Give them, O Jehovah! What wilt thou give them? Give them a miscarrying womb, 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; Yea, there have I hated them for the wickedness of their doings; I will drive them from my house; I will love them no more; All their princes are revolters.

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 is smitten; Their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit; Yea, though they should beget children, I will destroy the beloved fruit of the womb.

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

My God shall cast them away, Because they have not hearkened to him, And they shall be wanderers among the nations.