< Hosea 5 >
1 Hear this, O ye priests; and listen well, O ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for the punishment threateneth you; because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread out upon Thabor.
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 for murdering they who had rebelled [against God] concealed themselves in deep places; but I will inflict correction on them all.
which they that hunt the prey have fixed: but I will correct you.
3 I well know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me; for now, O Ephraim, hast thou played the harlot, [and] 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 will not permit them to return unto their God; for the spirit of lewdness is in their bosom, and the Lord they have not known.
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 Therefore shall the pride of Israel be humbled before his face: and Israel and Ephraim shall stumble in their iniquity; Judah also shall stumble 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6 With their flocks and with their herds will they go to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him: he hath withdrawn himself from them.
They shall go with sheep and calves diligently to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him, for he has withdrawn himself from them.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 Against the Lord have they dealt treacherously; for strange children have they begotten: now shall one month devour them together with their 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 ye the cornet in Gib'ah, the trumpet in Ramah: blow the alarm at Beth-aven, [The enemy is] after 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 made desolate on the day of chastisement: among the tribes of Israel had I made known that which is true.
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 were like those that remove the landmark: my wrath, therefore, will I pour out 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 Oppressed is Ephraim, broken through punishment; because he willingly walked after the commandment [of false prophets].
Ephraim altogether prevailed against his adversary, he trod judgement under foot, for he began to go after vanities.
12 But like the moth became I unto Ephraim, and like rottenness to the house of Judah.
Therefore I [will be] as consternation to Ephraim, and as a goad to the house of Juda.
13 Then saw Ephraim his sickness, and Judah his wound, and Ephraim went to Asshur, and [the other] sent to the king that should contend [[Jareb]]; but he will never be able to heal you, nor remove from you your wound.
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 am as a lion unto Ephraim, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I myself will tear in pieces and go away; I will bear away, and none shall 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 [from here, and] return to my place, till they acknowledge their guilt, and seek my presence: in their affliction will they seek for me.
I will go and return to my place, until they are brought to nothing, and [then] shall they seek my face.