Hosea 9:10-17

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

¹⁰ Like grapes in the wilderness,
    I found Israel.
Like the first fruit on the fig tree,
    in its first season,
    I saw your fathers.
But they came to Ba′al-pe′or,
    and consecrated themselves to Ba′al,^[a]
    and became detestable like the thing they loved.
¹¹ E′phraim’s glory shall fly away like a bird—
    no birth, no pregnancy, no conception!
¹² Even if they bring up children,
    I will bereave them till none is left.
Woe to them
    when I depart from them!
¹³ E′phraim’s sons, as I have seen, are destined for a prey;^[b]
    E′phraim must lead forth his sons to slaughter.
¹⁴ Give them, O Lord—
    what wilt thou give?
Give them a miscarrying womb
    and dry breasts.

¹⁵ Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal;
    there I began to hate them.
Because of the wickedness of their deeds
    I will drive them out of my house.
I will love them no more;
    all their princes are rebels.

¹⁶ E′phraim is stricken,
    their root is dried up,
    they shall bear no fruit.
Even though they bring forth,
    I will slay their beloved children.
¹⁷ My God will cast them off,
    because they have not hearkened to him;
    they shall be wanderers among the nations.