Hosea 5

1 "Listen to this, you priests. Listen, house of Israel, and give ear, house of the king. For the judgment is against you; for you have been a snare at Mizpah, and a net spread on Tabor.

Give ear to this, O priests; give attention, O Israel, and you, family of the king; for you are to be judged; you have been a deceit at Mizpah and a net stretched out on Tabor.

2 The rebels are deep in slaughter; but I discipline all of them.

They have gone deep in the evil ways of Shittim, but I am the judge of all.

3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me; for now, Ephraim, you have played the prostitute. Israel is defiled.

I have knowledge of Ephraim, and Israel is not secret from me; for now, O Ephraim, you have been false to me, Israel has become unclean.

4 Their deeds won't allow them to turn to their God; for the spirit of prostitution is within them, and they do not know the LORD.

Their works will not let them come back to their God, for a false spirit is in them and they have no knowledge of the Lord.

5 The pride of Israel testifies to his face. Therefore Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their iniquity. Judah also will stumble with them.

And the pride of Israel gives an answer to his face; and Ephraim will have a fall through his sins, and the fall of Judah will be the same as theirs.

6 They will go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they won't find him. He has withdrawn himself from them.

They will go, with their flocks and their herds, in search of the Lord, but they will not see him; he has taken himself out of their view.

7 They are unfaithful to the LORD; for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the new moon will devour them with their fields.

They have been false to the Lord; they have given birth to strange children; now the new moon will make them waste with their fields.

8 "Blow the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah. Sound a battle cry at Beth Aven, behind you, Benjamin.

Let the horn be sounded in Gibeah and in Ramah; give a loud cry in Beth-aven, They are after you, O Benjamin.

9 Ephraim will become a desolation in the day of rebuke. Among the tribes of Israel, I have made known that which will surely be.

Ephraim will become a waste in the day of punishment; I have given knowledge among the tribes of Israel of what is certain.

10 The princes of Judah are like those who remove a landmark. I will pour out my wrath on them like water.

The rulers of Judah are like those who take away a landmark; I will let loose my wrath on them like flowing water.

11 Ephraim is oppressed, he is crushed in judgment; Because he is intent in his pursuit of idols.

Ephraim is troubled; he is crushed by his judges, because he took pleasure in walking after deceit.

12 Therefore I am to Ephraim like a moth, and to the house of Judah like rottenness.

And so to Ephraim I am like a wasting insect, and a destruction to the children of Judah.

13 "When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, Then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to king Jareb: but he is not able to heal you, neither will he cure you of your wound.

When Ephraim saw his disease and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to the great king; but he is not able to make you well or give you help for your wound.

14 For I will be to Ephraim like a lion, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I myself will tear in pieces and go away. I will carry off, and there will be no one to deliver.

For I will be to Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the children of Judah; I, even I, will give him wounds and go away; I will take him away, and there will be no helper.

15 I will go and return to my place, until they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face. In their affliction they will seek me earnestly."

I will go back to my place till they are made waste; in their trouble they will go after me early and will make search for me.