Hosea 5

1 O ye Priestes, heare this, and hearken ye, O house of Israel, and giue ye eare, O house of the King: for iudgement is towarde you, because you haue bene a snare on Mizpah, and a net spred vpon Tabor.

“Listen, you priests! And you [other] Israeli people, you also pay attention! And you who are members of the king’s family, [you also need to] listen, because [I am going to] judge you! Your [worshiping idols] has been [like] [MET] a trap for [the people at] Mizpah [town]; it has been [like][MET] a net spread out [to catch people] at Tabor [Mountain].

2 Yet they were profounde, to decline to slaughter, though I haue bene a rebuker of them all.

You have done many evil things, so I will punish all of you.

3 I knowe Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for nowe, O Ephraim thou art become an harlot, and Israel is defiled.

I know [everything about the people of] Israel; nothing that they have done is hidden from me. Because [the people of] Israel have given themselves [to worshiping idols] like [MET] prostitutes [give themselves to the men they sleep with], they have become unacceptable to me.

4 They will not giue their mindes to turne vnto their God: for the spirit of fornication is in the middes of them, and they haue not knowen the Lord.

Because they [like to do evil] things, they will not return to [me], their God. Like prostitutes [who have abandoned their husbands] [MET], they have [IDM] abandoned [MET] me; they do not [even] know me, Yahweh.

5 And the pride of Israel doth testifie to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquitie: Iudah also shall fall with them.

[It is as though] their being proud testifies [PRS] against them. The sins that [the people of] Israel have committed [are like a heavy load that] causes them to stumble, and [the people of] Judah stumble with them.

6 They shall goe with their sheepe, and with their bullockes to seeke the Lord: but they shall not finde him: for he hath withdrawne himselfe from them.

They will come to worship [me], Yahweh, bringing their herds of sheep and cattle, but they will not [be able to] find me, because I have abandoned them.

7 They haue transgressed against the Lord: for they haue begotte strange children: now shall a moneth deuoure them with their portions.

They have abandoned me; and their children do not belong to me [MET]. So [they will not be able to celebrate their festivals at] the new moons [because I] will destroy them and [the crops in] their fields.

8 Blowe ye the trumpet in Gibeah, and the shaume in Ramah: crie out at Beth-auen, after thee, O Beniamin.

Blow the [rams’] horns in Gibeah [town] [and blow] the trumpets in Ramah [town]! Warn [the people at] Beth-Aven [town]; you warriors of the tribe of Benjamin, lead the troops [into the battle].

9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel haue I caused to knowe the trueth.

Israel will be ruined on the day that [I] destroy them. What I am telling to the tribes of Israel will certainly [happen].

10 The princes of Iudah were like them that remoue the bounde: therefore will I powre out my wrath vpon them like water.

[Because] the leaders of Judah [seized some land that belonged to Israel], they are like [SIM] those who move boundary markers [to get more land for themselves]; [so] I will punish them severely [MET].

11 Ephraim is oppressed, and broken in iudgement, because he willingly walked after the commandement.

And [the people of] Israel will suffer greatly when I punish them, because they are [very] determined to worship idols.

12 Therefore wil I be vnto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Iudah as a rottennesse.

I will destroy [the people of] Israel like [SIM] ([larvae of] moths/cockroaches) destroy wool, and I will cause [the people of] Judah to be like [SIM] rotten wood.

13 When Ephraim sawe his sickenes, and Iudah his wound, then went Ephraim vnto Asshur, and sent vnto King Iareb: yet coulde hee not heale you, nor cure you of your wound.

When [the leaders of] Israel and Judah saw that the people were suffering because of what [their enemies were doing to them] [MET], they sent [messages] to the great King of Assyria requesting [his help]. But he cannot help you; he cannot cause you to stop suffering, [because I am the one who is punishing Israel and Judah].

14 For I will be vnto Ephraim as a lyon, and as a lyons whelpe to the house of Iudah: I, euen I will spoyle, and goe away: I will take away, and none shall rescue it.

I will become like [SIM] a lion [DOU] to both nations; I will [attack them and] tear them to pieces. I will drag them away, and no one will [be able to] rescue them.

15 I will go, and returne to my place, til they acknowledge their fault, and seeke me: in their affliction they will seeke me diligently.

[After that], I will return to my place [in heaven] until they admit that they have sinned [MTY] and return to me; when they will experience [many] troubles, they will request me [to help them].”