Hosea 9

1 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as [other] people: for thou hast apostatized from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every corn-floor.

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.

2 The floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.

But the threshing floor and the winepress will not feed them; the new wine will fail them.

3 They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean [things] in Assyria.

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.

4 They shall not offer wine -[offerings] to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing to him: their sacrifices [shall be] to them as the bread of mourners; all that eat of it shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.

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.

5 What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?

What will you do on the day of an appointed festival, on the day of a festival for Yahweh?

6 For lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant [places] for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns [shall be] in their tabernacles.

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.

7 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come; Israel shall know [it]: the prophet [is] a fool, the spiritual man [is] mad, for the multitude of thy iniquity, and the great hatred.

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.

8 The watchman of Ephraim [was] with my God: [but] the prophet [is] a snare of a fowler in all his ways, [and] hatred in the house of his God.

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.

9 They have deeply corrupted [themselves], as in the days of Gibeah: [therefore] he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.

They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah. God will call to mind their iniquity, and he will punish their sins.

10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig-tree at her first time: [but] they went to Baal-peor, and separated themselves to [that] shame; and [their] abominations were according as they loved.

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.

11 [As for] Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.

As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird. There will be no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.

12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, [that there shall] not [be] a man [left]: yes, woe also to them when I depart from them!

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!

13 Ephraim, as I saw Tyre, [is] planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.

I have seen Ephraim, just like Tyre, planted in a meadow, but Ephraim will bring out his children to someone who will slaughter them.”

14 Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

Give them, Yahweh—what will you give them? Give them a miscarrying womb and breasts that give no milk.

15 All their wickedness [is] in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of my house, I will love them no more: all their princes [are] revolters.

“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.

16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yes, though they bring forth, yet will I slay [even] the beloved [fruit] of their womb.

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.”

17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken to him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

My God will reject them because they have not obeyed him. They will become wanderers among the nations.