Hosea 9

1 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, like the peoples; for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved hire upon every cornfloor.

Do not rejoice, O Israel, with exultation like the nations, for you have played the harlot against your God; you have made love for hire on every threshing floor.

2 The threshing-floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail her.

The threshing floor and winepress will not feed them, and the new wine will fail them.

3 They shall not dwell in the LORD’S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria.

They will not remain in the land of the LORD; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.

4 They shall not pour out wine [offerings] to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread shall be for their appetite; it shall not come into the house of the LORD.

They will not pour out wine offerings to the LORD, and their sacrifices will not please Him, but will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat will be defiled. For their bread will be for themselves; it will not enter the house of the LORD.

5 What will ye do in the day of solemn assembly, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?

What will you do on the appointed day, on the day of the LORD’s feast?

6 For, lo, they are gone away from destruction, [yet] Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: their pleasant things of silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tents.

For even if they flee destruction, Egypt will gather them and Memphis will bury them. Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles, and thorns will overrun their tents.

7 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the man that hath the spirit is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and because the enmity is great.

The days of punishment have come; the days of retribution have arrived— let Israel know it. The prophet is called a fool, and the inspired man insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and hostility.

8 Ephraim [was] a watchman with my God: as for the prophet, a fowler’s snare is in all his ways, [and] enmity in the house of his God.

The prophet is Ephraim’s watchman, along with my God, yet the snare of the fowler lies on all his paths. Hostility is in the house of his God!

9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.

They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah; He will remember their guilt; He will punish their sins.

10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first season: but they came to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves unto the shameful thing, and became abominable like that which they loved.

I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so they became as detestable as the thing they loved.

11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird: there shall be no birth, and none with child, and no conception.

Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird, with no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.

12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there be not a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!

Even if they raise their children, I will bereave them of each one. Yes, woe be to them when I turn away from them!

13 Ephraim, like as I have seen Tyre, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring out his children to the slayer.

I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a meadow. But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter.

14 Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

Give them, O LORD— what will You give? Give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that dry up!

15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal; for there I hated them: because of the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house: I will love them no more; all their princes are revolters.

All their evil appears at Gilgal, for there I hated them. I will drive them from My house for the wickedness of their deeds. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious.

16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay the beloved fruit of their womb.

Ephraim is struck down; their root is withered; they cannot bear fruit. Even if they bear children, I will slay the darlings of their wombs.

17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

My God will reject them because they have not obeyed Him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.