Hosea 5

1 “Listen, you priests! And you [other] Israeli people, you also pay attention! And you who are members of the king’s family, [you also need to] listen, because [I am going to] judge you! Your [worshiping idols] has been [like] [MET] a trap for [the people at] Mizpah [town]; it has been [like][MET] a net spread out [to catch people] at Tabor [Mountain].

Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment [is] towards you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.

2 You have done many evil things, so I will punish all of you.

And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I [have been] a rebuker of them all.

3 I know [everything about the people of] Israel; nothing that they have done is hidden from me. Because [the people of] Israel have given themselves [to worshiping idols] like [MET] prostitutes [give themselves to the men they sleep with], they have become unacceptable to me.

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou art guilty of lewdness, [and] Israel is defiled.

4 Because they [like to do evil] things, they will not return to [me], their God. Like prostitutes [who have abandoned their husbands] [MET], they have [IDM] abandoned [MET] me; they do not [even] know me, Yahweh.

They will not frame their doings to turn to their God: for the spirit of lewdness [is] in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD.

5 [It is as though] their being proud testifies [PRS] against them. The sins that [the people of] Israel have committed [are like a heavy load that] causes them to stumble, and [the people of] Judah stumble with them.

And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.

6 They will come to worship [me], Yahweh, bringing their herds of sheep and cattle, but they will not [be able to] find me, because I have abandoned them.

They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find [him]; he hath withdrawn himself from them.

7 They have abandoned me; and their children do not belong to me [MET]. So [they will not be able to celebrate their festivals at] the new moons [because I] will destroy them and [the crops in] their fields.

They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.

8 Blow the [rams’] horns in Gibeah [town] [and blow] the trumpets in Ramah [town]! Warn [the people at] Beth-Aven [town]; you warriors of the tribe of Benjamin, lead the troops [into the battle].

Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, [and] the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud [at] Beth-aven, after thee, O Benjamin.

9 Israel will be ruined on the day that [I] destroy them. What I am telling to the tribes of Israel will certainly [happen].

Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.

10 [Because] the leaders of Judah [seized some land that belonged to Israel], they are like [SIM] those who move boundary markers [to get more land for themselves]; [so] I will punish them severely [MET].

The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: [therefore] I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.

11 And [the people of] Israel will suffer greatly when I punish them, because they are [very] determined to worship idols.

Ephraim [is] oppressed [and] broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.

12 I will destroy [the people of] Israel like [SIM] ([larvae of] moths/cockroaches) destroy wool, and I will cause [the people of] Judah to be like [SIM] rotten wood.

Therefore [will] I [be] to Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.

13 When [the leaders of] Israel and Judah saw that the people were suffering because of what [their enemies were doing to them] [MET], they sent [messages] to the great King of Assyria requesting [his help]. But he cannot help you; he cannot cause you to stop suffering, [because I am the one who is punishing Israel and Judah].

When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah [saw] his wound, then Ephraim went to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet he could not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.

14 I will become like [SIM] a lion [DOU] to both nations; I will [attack them and] tear them to pieces. I will drag them away, and no one will [be able to] rescue them.

For I [will be] to Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, [even] I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue [him].

15 [After that], I will return to my place [in heaven] until they admit that they have sinned [MTY] and return to me; when they will experience [many] troubles, they will request me [to help them].”

I will go [and] return to my place, till they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.