Hosea 5

1 “Hear this, O priests, and attend, O house of Israel, And, O house of the king, give ear, For the judgment [is] for you, For you have been a snare on Mizpah, And a net spread out on Tabor.

“Hear this, priests! Pay attention, house of Israel! Listen, house of the king! For judgment is coming against you all. You have been a snare at Mizpah and a net spread over Tabor.

2 And to slaughter sinners have gone deep, And I [am] a chain to them all.

The rebels stand deep in slaughter, but I will punish all of them.

3 I have known Ephraim, And Israel has not been hid from Me, For now you have gone whoring, Ephraim, Israel is defiled.

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me. Ephraim, now you have become like a prostitute; Israel is defiled.

4 They do not give up their habitual doings, To turn back to their God, For a spirit of whoredoms [is] in their midst, And YHWH they have not known.

Their deeds will not allow them to turn to God, for the mind of adultery is in them, and they do not know Yahweh.

5 And humbled has been the excellence of Israel to his face, And Israel and Ephraim stumble by their iniquity, Judah has also stumbled with them.

The pride of Israel testifies against him; so Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their guilt; and Judah also will stumble with them.

6 With their flock and with their herd, They go to seek YHWH, and do not find, He has withdrawn from them.

They will go with their flocks and herds to seek Yahweh, but they will not find him, for he has withdrawn himself from them.

7 Against YHWH they dealt treacherously, For they have begotten strange sons, Now a month consumes them [with] their portions.

They were unfaithful to Yahweh, for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the new moon festivals will devour them with their fields.

8 Blow a horn in Gibeah, a trumpet in Ramah, Shout, O Beth-Aven, after you, O Benjamin.

Blow the horn in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah. Sound a battle cry at Beth Aven: 'We will follow you, Benjamin!'

9 Ephraim is for a desolation in a day of reproof, I have made known a sure thing among the tribes of Israel.

Ephraim will become a desolation on the day of punishment. Among the tribes of Israel I have declared what is certain to happen.

10 Princes of Judah have been as those removing a border, I pour out My wrath as water on them.

The leaders of Judah are like those who move a boundary stone. I will pour my wrath on them like water.

11 Ephraim is oppressed, broken in judgment, When he pleased he went after the command.

Ephraim is crushed; he is crushed in judgment, because he has willingly walked after idols.

12 And I [am] as a moth to Ephraim, And as a rotten thing to the house of Judah.

So I will be like a moth to Ephraim, and like rot to the house of Judah.

13 And Ephraim sees his sickness, and Judah his wound, And Ephraim goes to Asshur, And sends to a warlike king, And he is not able to give healing to you, Nor does he remove a scar from you.

When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and Judah sent messengers to the great king. But he was not able to cure you people or heal your wound.

14 For I [am] as a lion to Ephraim, And as a young lion to the house of Judah, I tear and go, I carry away, and there is no deliverer.

So I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear and go away; I will carry them off, and there will be no one to rescue them.

15 I go—I return to My place, Until they are desolate, and have sought My face. In their distress they seek Me speedily!”

I will go and return to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, until they earnestly seek me in their distress.”