< 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, O ye priests; and listen well, O ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for the punishment threateneth you; because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread out upon Thabor.
2 The rebels stand deep in slaughter, but I will punish all of them.
And for murdering they who had rebelled [against God] concealed themselves in deep places; but I will inflict correction on 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 well know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me; for now, O Ephraim, hast thou played the harlot, [and] 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.
Their doings will not permit them to return unto their God; for the spirit of lewdness is in their bosom, and the Lord they have not known.
5 The pride of Israel testifies against him; so Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their guilt; and Judah also will stumble with them.
Therefore shall the pride of Israel be humbled before his face: and Israel and Ephraim shall stumble in their iniquity; Judah also shall stumble 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6 They will go with their flocks and herds to seek Yahweh, but they will not find him, for he has withdrawn himself from them.
With their flocks and with their herds will they go to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him: he hath withdrawn himself from them.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.
Against the Lord have they dealt treacherously; for strange children have they begotten: now shall one month devour them together with their possessions.
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 Gib'ah, the trumpet in Ramah: blow the alarm at Beth-aven, [The enemy is] after thee, 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 made desolate on the day of chastisement: among the tribes of Israel had I made known that which is true.
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 Judah were like those that remove the landmark: my wrath, therefore, will I pour out upon them like water.
11 Ephraim is crushed; he is crushed in judgment, because he has willingly walked after idols.
Oppressed is Ephraim, broken through punishment; because he willingly walked after the commandment [of false prophets].
12 So I will be like a moth to Ephraim, and like rot to the house of Judah.
But like the moth became I unto Ephraim, and like rottenness 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.
Then saw Ephraim his sickness, and Judah his wound, and Ephraim went to Asshur, and [the other] sent to the king that should contend [[Jareb]]; but he will never be able to heal you, nor remove from you your wound.
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 am as a lion unto Ephraim, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I myself will tear in pieces and go away; I will bear away, and none shall deliver.
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 [from here, and] return to my place, till they acknowledge their guilt, and seek my presence: in their affliction will they seek for me.

< Hosea 5 >