< Hosea 5 >

1 Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.
Hear these things, you priests; and attend, O house of Israel; and listen, O house of the king; for the controversy is with you, because you have been a snare in Scopia, and as a net spread on Itabyrium,
2 And the revolters are gone deeply into slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all.
which they that hunt the prey have fixed: but I will correct you.
3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest harlotry, and Israel is defiled.
I know Ephraim, and Israel is not far from me: for now Ephraim has gone grievously a-whoring, Israel is defiled.
4 They will not frame their doings to turn to their God: for the spirit of harlotry is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD.
They have not framed their counsels to return to their God, for the spirit of fornication is in them, and they have not known the Lord.
5 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.
And the pride of Israel shall be brought low before his face; and Israel and Ephraim shall fall in their iniquities; and Judas also shall fall with them.
6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them.
They shall go with sheep and calves diligently to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him, for he has withdrawn himself from them.
7 They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.
For they have forsaken the Lord; for strange children have been born to them: now shall the cankerworm devour them and their heritages.
8 Blow ye the horn in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin.
Blow you the trumpet on the hills, sound aloud on the heights: proclaim in the house of On, Benjamin is amazed.
9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.
Ephraim has come to nothing in the days of reproof: in the tribes of Israel I have shown faithful [dealings].
10 The princes of Judah were like them that remove a landmark: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.
The princes of Juda became as they that removed the bounds: I will pour out upon them my fury as water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.
Ephraim altogether prevailed against his adversary, he trod judgement under foot, for he began to go after vanities.
12 Therefore will I be to Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
Therefore I [will be] as consternation to Ephraim, and as a goad to the house of Juda.
13 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.
And Ephraim saw his disease, and Judas his pain; then Ephraim went to the Assyrians, and sent ambassadors to king Jarim: but he could not heal you, and your pain shall in nowise cease from you.
14 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.
Therefore I am as a panther to Ephraim, and as a lion to the house of Juda: and I will tear, and go away; and I will take, and there shall be none to deliver.
15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.
I will go and return to my place, until they are brought to nothing, and [then] shall they seek my face.

< Hosea 5 >