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.
Hear this, you priests! Pay attention, house of Israel! Listen, members of the royal family!
2 The rebels are deep in slaughter; but I discipline all of them.
Judgment belongs with you because you have been a snare set at Mizpah and a net spread out on Tabor. You dug a deep trap in Shittim, but I will punish you for all these things you have done.
3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me; for now, Ephraim, you have played the prostitute. Israel is defiled.
I know Ephraim very well, and Israel cannot hide from me, for now Ephraim is a prostitute and Israel is defiled.
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.
Your actions stop you from coming back to your God for a spirit of prostitution is within you and you do not know 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.
Israel's pride speaks against them, right in the face. Israel and Ephraim will stumble because of their guilt, and Judah will stumble along with them.
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 He has withdrawn himself from them.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 to seek the Lord with their herds and flocks, but they will not find him, for he has given up on them.
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 unfaithful to the Lord and have had children that are not his. Now the New Moon will destroy them along with their fields.
8 "Blow the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah. Sound a battle cry at Beth Aven, behind you, Benjamin.
Blow the horn in Gibeah! Sound the trumpet in Ramah! Shout an alarm in Beth-aven! Lead the way, 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 be left desolate on the day of punishment. Among the tribes of Israel I will reveal what is the real truth.
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 have become thieves like those who illegally move boundaries. I will pour out my anger like water upon them.
11 Ephraim is oppressed, he is crushed in judgment; Because he is intent in his pursuit of idols.
The people of Ephraim are crushed, smashed to pieces in judgment because they were determined to follow human commands.
12 Therefore I am to Ephraim like a moth, and to the house of Judah like rottenness.
I am like a maggot to Ephraim, and like something rotten to the people 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 how sick they were, and Judah saw how wounded they were, Ephraim turned to the great king of Assyria for help, but he could not heal them or cure their wounds.
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 like a lion to Ephraim, like a fierce lion to the people of Judah. I will come and tear them to pieces, and carry them off, and no one will be able to rescue them.
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."
Then I will leave and return to where I came from until they acknowledge their wrongs, and in their distress they will seek my face and beg for my help.”
