< Hosea 5 >
1 Hear this, ye priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ear, O house of the king: for this judgment is for you; for ye have been a snare at Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.
Hear these things, you priests; and attend, O house of Israel; and listen, O house of the king; for the controversy is with you, because you have been a snare in Scopia, and as a net spread on Itabyrium,
2 And they have plunged themselves in the corruption of apostasy, but I will be a chastiser of them all.
which they that hunt the prey have fixed: but I will correct you.
3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me; for now, Ephraim, thou hast committed whoredom; Israel is defiled.
I know Ephraim, and Israel is not far from me: for now Ephraim has gone grievously a-whoring, Israel is defiled.
4 Their doings do not allow them to return unto their God; for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they know not Jehovah.
They have not framed their counsels to return to their God, for the spirit of fornication is in them, and they have not known the Lord.
5 And Israel's pride doth testify to his face; and Israel and Ephraim shall fall by their iniquity: Judah also shall fall with them.
And the pride of Israel shall be brought low before his face; and Israel and Ephraim shall fall in their iniquities; and Judas also shall fall with them.
6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek Jehovah; but they shall not find [him]: he hath withdrawn himself from them.
They shall go with sheep and calves diligently to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him, for he has withdrawn himself from them.
7 They have dealt treacherously against Jehovah; for they have begotten strange children: now shall the new moon devour them, with their allotted possessions.
For they have forsaken the Lord; for strange children have been born to them: now shall the cankerworm devour them and their heritages.
8 Blow the horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; cry aloud [at] Beth-aven: behind thee, O Benjamin!
Blow you the trumpet on the hills, sound aloud on the heights: proclaim in the house of On, Benjamin is amazed.
9 Ephraim shall be a desolation in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which is sure.
Ephraim has come to nothing in the days of reproof: in the tribes of Israel I have shown faithful [dealings].
10 The princes of Judah are become like them that remove the landmark: I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.
The princes of Juda became as they that removed the bounds: I will pour out upon them my fury as water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, because in selfwill he walked after the commandment [of man].
Ephraim altogether prevailed against his adversary, he trod judgment under foot, for he began to go after vanities.
12 And I will be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
Therefore I [will be] as consternation to Ephraim, and as a goad to the house of Juda.
13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his sore, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb; but he was unable to heal you, nor hath he removed your sore.
And Ephraim saw his disease, and Judas his pain; then Ephraim went to the Assyrians, and sent ambassadors to king Jarim: but he could not heal you, and your pain shall in nowise cease from you.
14 For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah. I, I will tear and go away; I will carry off, and there shall be none to deliver.
Therefore I am as a panther to Ephraim, and as a lion to the house of Juda: and I will tear, and go away; and I will take, and there shall be none to deliver.
15 I will go away, I will return to my place, till they acknowledge their trespass, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.
I will go and return to my place, until they are brought to nothing, and [then] shall they seek my face.