< Hosea 5 >
1 Hear this, priests, and pay attention, house of Israel, and listen closely, house of the king. For there is a judgment against you, because you have become a trap for those you watched over, and a net stretched out over Tabor.
Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.
2 And you have led astray victims into the depths, though I am the teacher of them all.
And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all.
3 I know Ephraim, and Israel has not been hidden from me, yet now Ephraim has committed fornication, and Israel has been contaminated.
I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.
4 They will not set their thoughts to return to their God, for the spirit of fornication is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord.
They will not frame their doings to turn unto their Elohim: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known YHWH.
5 And the arrogance of Israel will answer to his face. And Israel and Ephraim will fall in their iniquity, and even Judah will fall with them.
And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity: Judah also shall fall with them.
6 With their flocks and their herds, they will go to seek the Lord, and they will not find him. He has taken himself away from them.
They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek YHWH; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them.
7 They have sinned against the Lord. For they have conceived sons that are strangers. Now one month will devour them with all their own.
They have dealt treacherously against YHWH: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.
8 Sound the bugle in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah. Shout in Bethaven, behind your back, O Benjamin.
Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin.
9 Ephraim will be in desolation on the day of correction, for within the tribes of Israel, I have revealed faith.
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 leaders of Judah have become like those who assume the end. I will pour my wrath over them like water.
The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.
11 Ephraim has been enduring malicious slander and broken judgment, because he began to go after filth.
Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.
12 And I will be like a moth to Ephraim, and like decay to the house of Judah.
Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
13 And Ephraim saw his own weakness, and Judah his chains. And Ephraim went to Assur, and he sent to the Avenging king. But he will not be able to heal you, nor is he able to release you from your chains.
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 like a lioness to Ephraim, and like a lion’s offspring to the house of Judah. I myself will seize and go forth. I will take away, and there is no one who can rescue.
For I will be unto 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 and return to my place, until you shall grow faint and seek my face.
I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.