Hosea 5

1 'Hear this, O priests, and attend, O house of Israel, And, O house of the king, give ear, For the judgment [is] for you, For, a snare ye have been on Mizpah, And a net spread out on Tabor.

“Listen to this, you priests! Listen, house of Israel, and give ear, house of the king! For the judgement is against you; for you have been a snare at Mizpah, and a net spread on Tabor.

2 And to slaughter sinners have gone deep, And I [am] a fetter to them all.

The rebels are deep in slaughter, but I discipline all of them.

3 I have known Ephraim, And Israel hath not been hid from me, For now thou hast gone a-whoring, Ephraim, Defiled is Israel.

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me; for now, Ephraim, you have played the prostitute. Israel is defiled.

4 They give not up their habitual doings, To turn back unto their God, For a spirit of whoredoms [is] in their midst, And Jehovah they have not known.

Their deeds won’t allow them to turn to their God, for the spirit of prostitution is within them, and they don’t know the LORD.

5 And humbled hath been the excellency of Israel to his face, And Israel and Ephraim stumble by their iniquity, Stumbled also hath Judah with them.

The pride of Israel testifies to his face. Therefore Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their iniquity. Judah also will stumble with them.

6 With their flock and with their herd, They go to seek Jehovah, and do not find, He hath withdrawn from them.

They will go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD, but they won’t find him. He has withdrawn himself from them.

7 Against Jehovah they dealt treacherously, For strange sons they have begotten, Now consume them doth a month [with] their portions.

They are unfaithful to the LORD; for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the new moon will devour them with their fields.

8 Blow ye a cornet in Gibeah, a trumpet in Ramah, Shout, O Beth-Aven, after thee, O Benjamin.

“Blow the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah! Sound a battle cry at Beth Aven, behind you, Benjamin!

9 Ephraim is for a desolation in a day of reproof, Among the tribes of Israel I have made known a sure thing.

Ephraim will become a desolation in the day of rebuke. Amongst the tribes of Israel, I have made known that which will surely be.

10 Princes of Judah have been as those removing a border, On them I do pour out as water My wrath.

The princes of Judah are like those who remove a landmark. I will pour out my wrath on them like water.

11 Oppressed is Ephraim, broken in judgment, When he pleased he went after the command.

Ephraim is oppressed, he is crushed in judgement, because he is intent in his pursuit of idols.

12 And I [am] as a moth to Ephraim, And as a rotten thing to the house of Judah.

Therefore I am to Ephraim like a moth, and to the house of Judah like rottenness.

13 And see doth Ephraim his sickness, and Judah his wound, And Ephraim goeth unto Asshur, And sendeth unto a warlike king, And he is not able to give healing to you, Nor doth he remove from you a scar.

“When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to King Jareb: but he is not able to heal you, neither will he cure you of your wound.

14 For I [am] as a lion to Ephraim, And as a young lion to the house of Judah, I — I tear and go, I bear away, and there is no deliverer.

For I will be to Ephraim like a lion, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I myself will tear in pieces and go away. I will carry off, and there will be no one to deliver.

15 I go — I turn back unto My place, Till that they are desolate, and have sought My face. In their distress they do seek Me speedily!'

I will go and return to my place, until they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face. In their affliction they will seek me earnestly.”