Hosea 9
1 Do not rejoice, Israel, with joy like the other peoples. For you have been unfaithful, forsaking your God. You love to pay the wages a prostitute requires on all the threshing floors.
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 But the threshing floor and the winepress will not feed them; the new wine will fail them.
The threshing floor and winepress will not feed them, and the new wine will fail them.
3 They will not continue to live in Yahweh's land; instead, Ephraim will return to Egypt, and one day they will 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 will pour out no wine offerings to Yahweh, neither will they be pleasing to him. Their sacrifices will be to them like mourners' food: all who eat it will be defiled. For their food will be for themselves only; it will not come into the house of Yahweh.
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 you do on the day of an appointed festival, on the day of a festival for Yahweh?
What will you do on the appointed day, on the day of the LORD’s feast?
6 For, look, if they escape from destruction, Egypt will gather them, and Memphis will bury them. As for their treasures of silver— sharp briers will possess them, and thorns will fill 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 for punishment are coming; the days for retribution are coming. Let all Israel know these things. The prophet is a fool, and the inspired man is insane, because of your great iniquity and great hostility.
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 The prophet is the watchman for my God over Ephraim. But a bird snare is on all of his paths, and hostility toward him is 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. God will call to mind their iniquity, and he will punish their sins.
They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah; He will remember their guilt; He will punish their sins.
10 Yahweh says, “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the wilderness. Like the very first fruit of the season on the fig tree, I found your fathers. But they went to Baal Peor, and they devoted themselves to that shameful idol. They became as detestable as the idol 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 will fly away like a bird. There will be no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.
Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird, with no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.
12 Though they have brought up children, I will take them away so that none of them is left. Woe to them when I turn away 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 I have seen Ephraim, just like Tyre, planted in a meadow, but Ephraim will bring out his children to someone who will slaughter them.”
I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a meadow. But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter.
14 Give them, Yahweh—what will you give them? Give them a miscarrying womb and breasts that give no milk.
Give them, O LORD— what will You give? Give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that dry up!
15 “Because of all their wickedness in Gilgal, that is where I began to hate them. Because of their sinful deeds, I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their officials are rebels.
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 diseased, and their root is dried up; they bear no fruit. Even if they have children, I will put their beloved children to death.”
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 reject them because they have not obeyed him. They will become wanderers among the nations.
My God will reject them because they have not obeyed Him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.
