Hosea 5

1 Give ear to this, O priests; give attention, O Israel, and you, family of the king; for you are to be judged; you have been a deceit at Mizpah and a net stretched out on Tabor.

Hear you this, O priests; and listen, you house of Israel; and give you ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because you have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread on Tabor.

2 They have gone deep in the evil ways of Shittim, but I am the judge of all.

And the rebels are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all.

3 I have knowledge of Ephraim, and Israel is not secret from me; for now, O Ephraim, you have been false to me, Israel has become unclean.

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, you commit prostitution, and Israel is defiled.

4 Their works will not let them come back to their God, for a false spirit is in them and they have no knowledge of the Lord.

They will not frame their doings to turn to their God: for the spirit of prostitutions is in the middle of them, and they have not known the LORD.

5 And the pride of Israel gives an answer to his face; and Ephraim will have a fall through his sins, and the fall of Judah will be the same as theirs.

And the pride of Israel does testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity: Judah also shall fall with them.

6 They will go, with their flocks and their herds, in search of the Lord, but they will not see him; he has taken himself out of their view.

They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he has withdrawn himself from them.

7 They have been false to the Lord; they have given birth to strange children; now the new moon will make them waste with their fields.

They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.

8 Let the horn be sounded in Gibeah and in Ramah; give a loud cry in Beth-aven, They are after you, O Benjamin.

Blow you the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after you, O Benjamin.

9 Ephraim will become a waste in the day of punishment; I have given knowledge among the tribes of Israel of what is certain.

Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.

10 The rulers of Judah are like those who take away a landmark; I will let loose my wrath on them like flowing water.

The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath on them like water.

11 Ephraim is troubled; he is crushed by his judges, because he took pleasure in walking after deceit.

Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.

12 And so to Ephraim I am like a wasting insect, and a destruction to the children of Judah.

Therefore will I be to Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.

13 When Ephraim saw his disease and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to the great king; but he is not able to make you well or give you help for your wound.

When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.

14 For I will be to Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the children of Judah; I, even I, will give him wounds and go away; I will take him away, and there will be no helper.

For I will be to Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.

15 I will go back to my place till they are made waste; in their trouble they will go after me early and will make search for me.

I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.