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 too loudly, Israel, like the nations, for you have commited adultery, being untrue to your God. You have loved a prostitute’s wages on every threshing floor.

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

Threshing floor and wine vat won’t feed them, the new wine will fail 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 stay in the Lord’s land, but Ephraim will return to Egypt, and in Assyria they will eat what is unclean.

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 pour out libations of wine to the Lord, nor please him with their sacrifices. Their bread will be like the bread of mourners: all who eat it will defile themselves. For their bread will be only for their hunger, it will not come into the Lord’s temple.

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

What will you do on the day of the festival? Or on the day of the Lord’s feast?

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.

Even if they flee from destruction, Egypt will gather them, Memphis will bury them. Nettles will take possession of their treasure of silver, thorns will push into their tents.

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 punishment are come, the days of recompense are at hand, as soon the Israelites will know! “The prophet is a fool, the inspired man is raving mad!” It is because of the greatness of your iniquity and the greatness of your 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!

Ephraim acts the spy with my God, a prophet finds the snares of a fowler are in all his ways. In the house of his God they lay hostile plots,

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

they commit crimes as in the days of Gibeah, God will remember their iniquity. He will punish 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 found Israel like finding grapes in the wilderness. I saw your ancestors like they were the first fruit on a fig tree, but as soon as they came to Baal-peor, they consecrated themselves to shamefulness, and became as abominable as the object of their love.

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

Ephraim – like a bird his glory flies away. There will be no more birth, no more motherhood, no more 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!

Even though they bring up their children, I will bereave them until not one is left. Woe to them when I turn away from them!

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

Ephraim – planted like Tyre in a meadow, But Ephraim too must lead forth their children to slaughter.

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

Give them, Lord – what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and shrivelled up 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 evil began in Gilgal, there I learned to hate them. Because of the evil of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will no longer love them, for all their princes are rebels.

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 blighted, their root withered. If they do bear children, I will slay the darlings 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 reject them because they have not listened to him, and they will become wanderers among the nations.