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 ye this, O priests, and hearken, O ye house of Israel, and give ear, O house of the king: for there is a judgment against you, because you have been a snare to them whom you should have watched over, and a net spread upon Thabor.

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

And you have turned aside victims into the depth: and 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 is not hid from me: for now Ephraim hath committed fornication, Israel is defiled.

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 pride of Israel shall answer in his face: and Israel and Ephraim shall fall in their iniquity, Juda also shall 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6 They will go with their flocks and herds to seek Yahweh, but they will not find him, for he has withdrawn himself from them.

With their flocks, and with their herds, they shall go to seek the Lord, and shall not find him: he is withdrawn from them.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 transgressed against the Lord, for they have begotten children that are strangers: now shall a month devour them with their portions.

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

Blow ye the cornet in Gabaa, the trumpet in Rama: howl ye in Bethaven, behind thy 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 shall be in desolation in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel I have shewn that which shall surely be.

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

The princes of Juda are become as they that take up the bound: I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.

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

Ephraim is under oppression, and broken in judgment: because he began to go after filthiness.

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 rottenness to the house of Juda.

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 sickness, and Juda his band: and Ephraim went to the Assyrian, and sent to the avenging king: and he shall not be able to heal you, neither shall he be able to take off the band from you.

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 whelp to the house of Juda: I, I will catch, and go: I will take away, and there is none that 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 are consumed, and seek my face.