Hosea 5

1 “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.

Hear this, priests, and pay attention, house of Israel, and listen closely, house of the king. For there is a judgment against you, because you have become a trap for those you watched over, and a net stretched out over Tabor.

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

And you have led astray victims into the depths, though I am the teacher of them all.

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

I know Ephraim, and Israel has not been hidden from me, yet now Ephraim has committed fornication, and Israel has been contaminated.

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

They will not set their thoughts to return to their God, for the spirit of fornication is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord.

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

And the arrogance of Israel will answer to his face. And Israel and Ephraim will fall in their iniquity, and even Judah will fall with them.

6 They will go with their flocks and herds to seek Yahweh, but they will not find him, for he has withdrawn himself from them.

With their flocks and their herds, they will go to seek the Lord, and they will not find him. He has taken himself away from them.

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

They have sinned against the Lord. For they have conceived sons that are strangers. Now one month will devour them with all their own.

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

Sound the bugle in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah. Shout in Bethaven, behind your back, O Benjamin.

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

Ephraim will be in desolation on the day of correction, for within the tribes of Israel, I have revealed faith.

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

The leaders of Judah have become like those who assume the end. I will pour my wrath over them like water.

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

Ephraim has been enduring malicious slander and broken judgment, because he began to go after filth.

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

And I will be like a moth to Ephraim, and like decay to the house of Judah.

13 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.

And Ephraim saw his own weakness, and Judah his chains. And Ephraim went to Assur, and he sent to the Avenging king. But he will not be able to heal you, nor is he able to release you from your chains.

14 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.

For I will be like a lioness to Ephraim, and like a lion’s offspring to the house of Judah. I myself will seize and go forth. I will take away, and there is no one who can rescue.

15 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.”

I will go and return to my place, until you shall grow faint and seek my face.