Israel’s Unfaithfulness Condemned

[a]Say to your brothers, “[b]Ammi,” and to your sisters, “[c]Ruhamah.”

“Dispute with your mother, (A)dispute,
Because she is (B)not my wife, and I am not her husband;
But she must remove her (C)infidelity from her face
And her adultery from between her breasts,
Otherwise, I will strip her (D)naked
And expose her as on the (E)day she was born.
I will also (F)make her like a wilderness,
Make her like desert land,
And put her to death with (G)thirst.
Also, I will take no pity on her children,
Because they are (H)children of infidelity.
For their mother has (I)committed prostitution;
She who conceived them has acted shamefully.
For she said, ‘(J)I will go after my lovers,
Who (K)give me my bread and my water,
My wool and my flax, my (L)oil and my drink.’
Therefore, behold, I will (M)obstruct [d]her way with (N)thorns,
And I will build [e]a stone wall against her so that she cannot find her (O)paths.
And she will (P)pursue her lovers, but she will not reach them;
And she will seek them, but will not find them.
Then she will say, ‘(Q)I will go back to my (R)first husband,
Because it was (S)better for me then than now!’

“Yet she does (T)not know that it was (U)I myself who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the oil,
And lavished on her silver and gold,
Which they [f]used for Baal.
Therefore, I will [g](V)take back My grain at [h]harvest time
And My new wine in its season.
I will also take away My wool and My flax
That I gave to cover her nakedness.
10 So now I will (W)uncover her [i]lewdness
Before the eyes of her lovers,
And no one will rescue her from My hand.
11 I will also (X)put an end to all her joy,
Her (Y)feasts, her (Z)new moons, her Sabbaths,
And all her festivals.
12 And I will (AA)destroy her vines and fig trees,
Of which she said, ‘They are my wages for prostitution
Which my lovers have given me.’
And I will (AB)turn them into a forest,
And the (AC)animals of the field will devour them.
13 I will punish her for the (AD)days of the Baals
When she used to [j](AE)offer sacrifices to them
And (AF)adorn herself with her nose ring and jewelry,
And follow her lovers, so that she (AG)forgot Me,” declares the Lord.

Restoration of Israel

14 “Therefore, behold, I am going to persuade her,
(AH)Bring her into the wilderness,
And speak [k]kindly to her.
15 Then I will give her her (AI)vineyards from there,
And (AJ)the [l]Valley of Achor as a door of hope.
And she will [m](AK)respond there as in the days of her youth,
As in the (AL)day when she went up from the land of Egypt.
16 And it will come about on that day,” declares the Lord,
“That you will call Me [n](AM)my husband
And no longer call Me my [o]Baal.
17 For (AN)I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth,
So that they will no longer be [p]mentioned by their names.
18 On that day I will also make a covenant for them
With the (AO)animals of the field,
The birds of the sky,
And the crawling things of the ground.
And I will [q](AP)eliminate the bow, the sword, and war from the land,
And will let them (AQ)lie down in safety.
19 I will (AR)betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me in (AS)righteousness and in justice,
In favor and in compassion,
20 And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness.
Then you will (AT)know the Lord.

21 “And it will come about on that day that (AU)I will respond,” declares the Lord.
“I will respond to the heavens, and they will respond to the earth,
22 And the (AV)earth will respond to the grain, to the new wine, and to the oil,
And they will respond to [r]Jezreel.
23 I will (AW)sow her for Myself in the land.
(AX)I will also have compassion on [s]her who had not obtained compassion,
And (AY)I will say to [t]those who were (AZ)not My people,
‘You are My people!’
And [u]they will say, ‘You are my God!’”

Hosea’s Redemption of Gomer

Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love [v]a woman who is loved by her [w]husband, yet is committing adultery, (BA)as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love [x]raisin (BB)cakes.” So I (BC)purchased her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver, and a [y]homer and a [z]lethech of barley. Then I said to her, “You shall (BD)live with me for many days. You shall not play the prostitute, nor shall you have another man; so I will also be toward you.” For the sons of Israel will live for many days (BE)without a king or leader, (BF)without sacrifice or (BG)memorial stone, and without (BH)ephod or [aa](BI)household idols. Afterward the sons of Israel will (BJ)return and seek the Lord their God and (BK)David their king; and (BL)they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.

God’s Controversy with Israel

(BM)Listen to the word of the Lord, you sons of Israel,
Because the Lord has a (BN)case against the inhabitants of the land,
For there is (BO)no [ab]faithfulness, nor [ac]loyalty,
Nor (BP)knowledge of God in the land.
There is (BQ)oath-taking, (BR)[ad]denial, (BS)murder, (BT)stealing, and (BU)adultery.
They employ violence, so that (BV)bloodshed [ae]follows bloodshed.
Therefore the land (BW)mourns,
And everyone who lives in it languishes
Along with the animals of the field and the birds of the sky,
And even the fish of the sea [af]disappear.

Yet let no one [ag](BX)find fault, and let no one rebuke;
For your people are like those who (BY)contend with a priest.
So you will (BZ)stumble by day,
And the prophet also will stumble with you by night;
And I will destroy your (CA)mother.
(CB)My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Since you have (CC)rejected knowledge,
I also will (CD)reject you from being My priest.
Since you have (CE)forgotten the (CF)Law of your God,
I also will forget your children.

The more they (CG)multiplied, the more they sinned against Me;
I will (CH)change their glory into shame.
They (CI)feed on the [ah]sin of My people,
And (CJ)long for their wrongdoing.
And it will be, like people, (CK)like priest;
So I will (CL)punish them for their ways
And repay them for their deeds.
10 (CM)They will eat, but not have enough;
They will (CN)play the prostitute, but not [ai]increase,
Because they (CO)gave up devoting themselves to the Lord.

11 [aj]Infidelity, (CP)wine, and new wine take away the [ak]understanding.
12 My people (CQ)consult their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand informs them;
For a spirit of infidelity has led them astray,
And they have been unfaithful, departing [al]from their God.
13 They offer sacrifices on the (CR)tops of the mountains
And [am](CS)burn incense on the hills,
(CT)Under oak, poplar, and terebinth,
Because their shade is pleasant.
Therefore your daughters play the prostitute,
And your [an]brides commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the prostitute,
Or your [ao]brides when they commit adultery,
Because the men themselves slip away with the prostitutes
And offer sacrifices with (CU)temple prostitutes;
So the people without understanding are ruined.

15 Though you, Israel, play the prostitute,
Judah must not become guilty;
Also you are not to go to (CV)Gilgal,
Nor go up to Beth-aven
(CW)And take the oath:
“As the Lord lives!”
16 Since Israel is (CX)stubborn
Like a stubborn cow,
[ap]Will the Lord now (CY)pasture them
Like a lamb in a large field?
17 Ephraim is allied with (CZ)idols;
(DA)Leave him alone.
18 Their liquor is gone,
They prostitute themselves continually;
[aq](DB)Their [ar]rulers dearly love shame.
19 (DC)The wind wraps them in its wings,
And they will be [as]put to shame because of their sacrifices.

The People’s Apostasy Rebuked

Hear this, you priests!
Pay attention, house of Israel!
Listen, you of the house of the king!
For the judgment applies to you,
Because you have been a (DD)trap at Mizpah,
And a net spread out on Tabor.
And the (DE)rebels have (DF)gone deep in [at]depravity,
But I will discipline all of them.
I (DG)know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me;
Because now, Ephraim, you have been unfaithful,
Israel has defiled itself.
Their deeds will not allow them
To return to their God.
For a (DH)spirit of [au]infidelity is within them,
And they (DI)do not know the Lord.
Moreover, the (DJ)pride of Israel testifies against him,
And Israel and Ephraim stumble in their wrongdoing;
(DK)Judah also has stumbled with them.
They will (DL)go with their flocks and herds
To seek the Lord, but they will (DM)not find Him;
He has (DN)withdrawn from them.
They have (DO)dealt treacherously with the Lord,
For they have given birth to [av](DP)illegitimate children.
Now the (DQ)new moon will devour them with their [aw]land.

(DR)Blow the horn in (DS)Gibeah,
And the trumpet in Ramah.
Sound an alarm at Beth-aven:
(DT)Behind you, Benjamin!”
Ephraim will become a (DU)desolation in the (DV)day of rebuke;
Among the tribes of Israel I (DW)make known what is trustworthy.
10 The leaders of Judah have become like those who (DX)displace a boundary marker;
On them I will (DY)pour out My anger (DZ)like water.
11 Ephraim is (EA)oppressed, broken by judgment,
(EB)Because he was determined to follow [ax]man’s command.
12 Therefore I am like a (EC)moth to Ephraim,
And like rottenness to the house of Judah.
13 When Ephraim saw his sickness,
And Judah his [ay]sore,
Ephraim then went to (ED)Assyria
And sent word to [az](EE)King Jareb.
But he is (EF)unable to heal you,
Or to cure you of your [ba]sore.
14 For I will be (EG)like a lion to Ephraim
And like a young lion to the house of Judah.
(EH)I, yes I, will tear to pieces and go away,
I will carry away, and there will be (EI)no one to rescue.
15 I will go away and return to My place
Until they [bb](EJ)acknowledge their guilt and seek My face;
In their distress they will (EK)search for Me.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 2:1 Ch 2:3 in Heb
  2. Hosea 2:1 I.e., my people
  3. Hosea 2:1 I.e., she has obtained compassion
  4. Hosea 2:6 As in some ancient versions; MT your
  5. Hosea 2:6 Lit her stone wall so that
  6. Hosea 2:8 Or made into the
  7. Hosea 2:9 Lit return and take My
  8. Hosea 2:9 Lit its time
  9. Hosea 2:10 Or shame
  10. Hosea 2:13 Or burn incense
  11. Hosea 2:14 Lit upon her heart
  12. Hosea 2:15 Lit Valley of Trouble
  13. Hosea 2:15 Or give answer
  14. Hosea 2:16 Heb Ishi
  15. Hosea 2:16 Also meaning husband in Heb, besides a name for false gods
  16. Hosea 2:17 Or remembered
  17. Hosea 2:18 Lit break
  18. Hosea 2:22 I.e., God sows
  19. Hosea 2:23 Heb Lo-ruhamah
  20. Hosea 2:23 Heb Lo-ammi
  21. Hosea 2:23 Lit he
  22. Hosea 3:1 I.e., Gomer
  23. Hosea 3:1 Lit companion
  24. Hosea 3:1 Used in idolatry
  25. Hosea 3:2 About 7.7 cubic feet or 0.22 cubic meters
  26. Hosea 3:2 About 3.8 cubic feet or 0.11 cubic meters
  27. Hosea 3:4 Heb teraphim
  28. Hosea 4:1 Or truth
  29. Hosea 4:1 Or kindness
  30. Hosea 4:2 I.e., of truth
  31. Hosea 4:2 Lit touches
  32. Hosea 4:3 Lit are taken away
  33. Hosea 4:4 Lit contend
  34. Hosea 4:8 Or sin offering
  35. Hosea 4:10 I.e., either in population or wealth
  36. Hosea 4:11 Or Prostitution
  37. Hosea 4:11 Lit heart
  38. Hosea 4:12 Lit from under
  39. Hosea 4:13 Or offer sacrifices
  40. Hosea 4:13 Or daughters-in-law
  41. Hosea 4:14 Or daughters-in-law
  42. Hosea 4:16 Or The Lord will now pasture...field.
  43. Hosea 4:18 Another reading is They dearly love the shame of gifts
  44. Hosea 4:18 Lit shields
  45. Hosea 4:19 Or ashamed
  46. Hosea 5:2 Or slaughter
  47. Hosea 5:4 Or prostitution
  48. Hosea 5:7 Lit strange
  49. Hosea 5:7 Lit portions
  50. Hosea 5:11 Or with some ancient versions, nothingness
  51. Hosea 5:13 Or ulcer
  52. Hosea 5:13 Or another reading is the great king; or the contentious king
  53. Hosea 5:13 Or ulcer
  54. Hosea 5:15 Or suffer their punishment

[a]“Say of your brothers, ‘My people,’ and of your sisters, ‘My loved one.’(A)

Israel Punished and Restored

“Rebuke your mother,(B) rebuke her,
    for she is not my wife,
    and I am not her husband.
Let her remove the adulterous(C) look from her face
    and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts.
Otherwise I will strip(D) her naked
    and make her as bare as on the day she was born;(E)
I will make her like a desert,(F)
    turn her into a parched land,
    and slay her with thirst.
I will not show my love to her children,(G)
    because they are the children of adultery.(H)
Their mother has been unfaithful
    and has conceived them in disgrace.
She said, ‘I will go after my lovers,(I)
    who give me my food and my water,
    my wool and my linen, my olive oil and my drink.’(J)
Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes;
    I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.(K)
She will chase after her lovers but not catch them;
    she will look for them but not find them.(L)
Then she will say,
    ‘I will go back to my husband(M) as at first,(N)
    for then I was better off(O) than now.’
She has not acknowledged(P) that I was the one
    who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil,(Q)
who lavished on her the silver and gold(R)
    which they used for Baal.(S)

“Therefore I will take away my grain(T) when it ripens,
    and my new wine(U) when it is ready.
I will take back my wool and my linen,
    intended to cover her naked body.
10 So now I will expose(V) her lewdness
    before the eyes of her lovers;(W)
    no one will take her out of my hands.(X)
11 I will stop(Y) all her celebrations:(Z)
    her yearly festivals, her New Moons,
    her Sabbath days—all her appointed festivals.(AA)
12 I will ruin her vines(AB) and her fig trees,(AC)
    which she said were her pay from her lovers;(AD)
I will make them a thicket,(AE)
    and wild animals will devour them.(AF)
13 I will punish her for the days
    she burned incense(AG) to the Baals;(AH)
she decked herself with rings and jewelry,(AI)
    and went after her lovers,(AJ)
    but me she forgot,(AK)
declares the Lord.(AL)

14 “Therefore I am now going to allure her;
    I will lead her into the wilderness(AM)
    and speak tenderly to her.
15 There I will give her back her vineyards,
    and will make the Valley of Achor[b](AN) a door of hope.
There she will respond[c](AO) as in the days of her youth,(AP)
    as in the day she came up out of Egypt.(AQ)

16 “In that day,” declares the Lord,
    “you will call me ‘my husband’;(AR)
    you will no longer call me ‘my master.[d]
17 I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips;(AS)
    no longer will their names be invoked.(AT)
18 In that day I will make a covenant for them
    with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky
    and the creatures that move along the ground.(AU)
Bow and sword and battle
    I will abolish(AV) from the land,
    so that all may lie down in safety.(AW)
19 I will betroth(AX) you to me forever;
    I will betroth you in[e] righteousness and justice,(AY)
    in[f] love and compassion.(AZ)
20 I will betroth you in[g] faithfulness,
    and you will acknowledge(BA) the Lord.(BB)

21 “In that day I will respond,”
    declares the Lord
“I will respond(BC) to the skies,
    and they will respond to the earth;
22 and the earth will respond to the grain,
    the new wine and the olive oil,(BD)
    and they will respond to Jezreel.[h](BE)
23 I will plant(BF) her for myself in the land;
    I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.[i](BG)
I will say to those called ‘Not my people,[j]’ ‘You are my people’;(BH)
    and they will say, ‘You are my God.(BI)’”

Hosea’s Reconciliation With His Wife

The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress.(BJ) Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.(BK)

So I bought her for fifteen shekels[k] of silver and about a homer and a lethek[l] of barley. Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you.”

For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince,(BL) without sacrifice(BM) or sacred stones,(BN) without ephod(BO) or household gods.(BP) Afterward the Israelites will return and seek(BQ) the Lord their God and David their king.(BR) They will come trembling(BS) to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days.(BT)

The Charge Against Israel

Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites,
    because the Lord has a charge(BU) to bring
    against you who live in the land:(BV)
“There is no faithfulness,(BW) no love,
    no acknowledgment(BX) of God in the land.(BY)
There is only cursing,[m] lying(BZ) and murder,(CA)
    stealing(CB) and adultery;(CC)
they break all bounds,
    and bloodshed follows bloodshed.(CD)
Because of this the land dries up,(CE)
    and all who live in it waste away;(CF)
the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky
    and the fish in the sea are swept away.(CG)

“But let no one bring a charge,
    let no one accuse another,
for your people are like those
    who bring charges against a priest.(CH)
You stumble(CI) day and night,
    and the prophets stumble with you.
So I will destroy your mother(CJ)
    my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.(CK)

“Because you have rejected knowledge,
    I also reject you as my priests;
because you have ignored the law(CL) of your God,
    I also will ignore your children.
The more priests there were,
    the more they sinned against me;
    they exchanged their glorious God[n](CM) for something disgraceful.(CN)
They feed on the sins of my people
    and relish their wickedness.(CO)
And it will be: Like people, like priests.(CP)
    I will punish both of them for their ways
    and repay them for their deeds.(CQ)

10 “They will eat but not have enough;(CR)
    they will engage in prostitution(CS) but not flourish,
because they have deserted(CT) the Lord
    to give themselves 11 to prostitution;(CU)
old wine(CV) and new wine
    take away their understanding.(CW)
12 My people consult a wooden idol,(CX)
    and a diviner’s rod speaks to them.(CY)
A spirit of prostitution(CZ) leads them astray;(DA)
    they are unfaithful(DB) to their God.
13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops
    and burn offerings on the hills,
under oak,(DC) poplar and terebinth,
    where the shade is pleasant.(DD)
Therefore your daughters turn to prostitution(DE)
    and your daughters-in-law to adultery.(DF)

14 “I will not punish your daughters
    when they turn to prostitution,
nor your daughters-in-law
    when they commit adultery,
because the men themselves consort with harlots(DG)
    and sacrifice with shrine prostitutes(DH)
    a people without understanding(DI) will come to ruin!(DJ)

15 “Though you, Israel, commit adultery,
    do not let Judah become guilty.

“Do not go to Gilgal;(DK)
    do not go up to Beth Aven.[o](DL)
    And do not swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’(DM)
16 The Israelites are stubborn,(DN)
    like a stubborn heifer.(DO)
How then can the Lord pasture them
    like lambs(DP) in a meadow?
17 Ephraim is joined to idols;
    leave him alone!
18 Even when their drinks are gone,
    they continue their prostitution;
    their rulers dearly love shameful ways.
19 A whirlwind(DQ) will sweep them away,
    and their sacrifices will bring them shame.(DR)

Judgment Against Israel

“Hear this, you priests!
    Pay attention, you Israelites!
Listen, royal house!
    This judgment(DS) is against you:
You have been a snare(DT) at Mizpah,
    a net(DU) spread out on Tabor.
The rebels are knee-deep in slaughter.(DV)
    I will discipline all of them.(DW)
I know all about Ephraim;
    Israel is not hidden(DX) from me.
Ephraim, you have now turned to prostitution;
    Israel is corrupt.(DY)

“Their deeds do not permit them
    to return(DZ) to their God.
A spirit of prostitution(EA) is in their heart;
    they do not acknowledge(EB) the Lord.
Israel’s arrogance testifies(EC) against them;
    the Israelites, even Ephraim, stumble(ED) in their sin;
    Judah also stumbles with them.(EE)
When they go with their flocks and herds
    to seek the Lord,(EF)
they will not find him;
    he has withdrawn(EG) himself from them.
They are unfaithful(EH) to the Lord;
    they give birth to illegitimate(EI) children.
When they celebrate their New Moon feasts,(EJ)
    he will devour[p](EK) their fields.

“Sound the trumpet(EL) in Gibeah,(EM)
    the horn in Ramah.(EN)
Raise the battle cry in Beth Aven[q];(EO)
    lead on, Benjamin.
Ephraim will be laid waste(EP)
    on the day of reckoning.(EQ)
Among the tribes of Israel
    I proclaim what is certain.(ER)
10 Judah’s leaders are like those
    who move boundary stones.(ES)
I will pour out my wrath(ET) on them
    like a flood of water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed,
    trampled in judgment,
    intent on pursuing idols.[r](EU)
12 I am like a moth(EV) to Ephraim,
    like rot(EW) to the people of Judah.

13 “When Ephraim(EX) saw his sickness,
    and Judah his sores,
then Ephraim turned to Assyria,(EY)
    and sent to the great king for help.(EZ)
But he is not able to cure(FA) you,
    not able to heal your sores.(FB)
14 For I will be like a lion(FC) to Ephraim,
    like a great lion to Judah.
I will tear them to pieces(FD) and go away;
    I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them.(FE)
15 Then I will return to my lair(FF)
    until they have borne their guilt(FG)
    and seek my face(FH)
in their misery(FI)
    they will earnestly seek me.(FJ)

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1-23 is numbered 2:3-25.
  2. Hosea 2:15 Achor means trouble.
  3. Hosea 2:15 Or sing
  4. Hosea 2:16 Hebrew baal
  5. Hosea 2:19 Or with
  6. Hosea 2:19 Or with
  7. Hosea 2:20 Or with
  8. Hosea 2:22 Jezreel means God plants.
  9. Hosea 2:23 Hebrew Lo-Ruhamah (see 1:6)
  10. Hosea 2:23 Hebrew Lo-Ammi (see 1:9)
  11. Hosea 3:2 That is, about 6 ounces or about 170 grams
  12. Hosea 3:2 A homer and a lethek possibly weighed about 430 pounds or about 195 kilograms.
  13. Hosea 4:2 That is, to pronounce a curse on
  14. Hosea 4:7 Syriac (see also an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition); Masoretic Text me; / I will exchange their glory
  15. Hosea 4:15 Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God).
  16. Hosea 5:7 Or Now their New Moon feasts / will devour them and
  17. Hosea 5:8 Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God).
  18. Hosea 5:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah.

Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts;

Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst.

And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms.

For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.

Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.

And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.

For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.

Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness.

10 And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand.

11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.

12 And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.

13 And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the Lord.

14 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.

15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

16 And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.

17 For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.

18 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.

19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.

20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord.

21 And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth;

22 And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel.

23 And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.

Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.

So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:

And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.

For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:

Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.

Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.

Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.

They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.

And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the Lord.

11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

12 My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.

13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.

15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The Lord liveth.

16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.

19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

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.

And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all.

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.

They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord.

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.

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 have dealt treacherously against the Lord: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.

Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin.

Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.

10 The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.

11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.

12 Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.

13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.

14 For I will be unto 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.

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.

Pay Attention

For this reason we must pay much closer attention to [a]what we have heard, so that (A)we do not drift away from it. For if the word (B)spoken through (C)angels proved [b]unalterable, and (D)every violation and act of disobedience received a just [c](E)punishment, (F)how will we escape if we neglect so great a (G)salvation? [d]After it was at first (H)spoken through the Lord, it was (I)confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by (J)signs and wonders, and by (K)various [e]miracles and by [f](L)gifts of the Holy Spirit (M)according to His own will.

Earth Subject to Man

For He did not subject to angels [g](N)the world to come, about which we are speaking. But someone has testified (O)somewhere, saying,

(P)What is man, that You think of him?
Or a son of man, that You are concerned about him?
(Q)You have made him [h]for a little while lower than angels;
You have crowned him with glory and honor[i];
(R)You have put everything in subjection under his feet.”

For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now (S)we do not yet see all things subjected to him.

Jesus Briefly Humbled

But we do see Him who was (T)made [j]for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, (U)because of His suffering death (V)crowned with glory and honor, so that (W)by the grace of God He might (X)taste death (Y)for everyone.

10 For (Z)it was fitting for Him, (AA)for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to (AB)perfect the [k](AC)originator of their salvation through sufferings. 11 For both He who (AD)sanctifies and those who (AE)are [l]sanctified are all (AF)from one Father; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them (AG)brothers and sisters, 12 saying,

(AH)I will proclaim Your name to My brothers,
In the midst of the assembly I will sing Your praise.”

13 And again,

(AI)I will put My trust in Him.”

And again,

(AJ)Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me.”

14 Therefore, since the children share in [m](AK)flesh and blood, (AL)He Himself likewise also partook of the same, so that (AM)through death He might destroy (AN)the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who through (AO)fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. 16 For clearly He does not [n]give help to angels, but He gives help to the [o]descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore, in all things He [p]had (AP)to be made like His brothers so that He might (AQ)become a merciful and faithful (AR)high priest in (AS)things pertaining to God, to (AT)make [q]propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For since He Himself was [r](AU)tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are [s]tempted.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 2:1 Lit the things that have been heard
  2. Hebrews 2:2 Or steadfast
  3. Hebrews 2:2 Lit retribution
  4. Hebrews 2:3 Lit Which was
  5. Hebrews 2:4 Or works of power
  6. Hebrews 2:4 Lit distributions
  7. Hebrews 2:5 Lit the inhabited earth
  8. Hebrews 2:7 Or ...him a little lower than...
  9. Hebrews 2:7 One early ms continues, and have appointed him over the works of Your hands
  10. Hebrews 2:9 Or a little lower
  11. Hebrews 2:10 Or leader
  12. Hebrews 2:11 Or being sanctified
  13. Hebrews 2:14 Lit blood and flesh
  14. Hebrews 2:16 Lit take hold of angels, but He takes hold of
  15. Hebrews 2:16 Lit seed
  16. Hebrews 2:17 Lit was obligated to be
  17. Hebrews 2:17 I.e., reconciliation with God by atoning for the sins
  18. Hebrews 2:18 Or tested
  19. Hebrews 2:18 Or tested

Warning to Pay Attention

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.(A) For since the message spoken(B) through angels(C) was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,(D) how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?(E) This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord,(F) was confirmed to us by those who heard him.(G) God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles,(H) and by gifts of the Holy Spirit(I) distributed according to his will.(J)

Jesus Made Fully Human

It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone(K) has testified:

“What is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    a son of man that you care for him?(L)
You made them a little[a] lower than the angels;
    you crowned them with glory and honor
    and put everything under their feet.”[b][c](M)

In putting everything under them,[d] God left nothing that is not subject to them.[e] Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them.[f] But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor(N) because he suffered death,(O) so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.(P)

10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists,(Q) should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.(R) 11 Both the one who makes people holy(S) and those who are made holy(T) are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.[g](U) 12 He says,

“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
    in the assembly I will sing your praises.”[h](V)

13 And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”[i](W)

And again he says,

“Here am I, and the children God has given me.”[j](X)

14 Since the children have flesh and blood,(Y) he too shared in their humanity(Z) so that by his death he might break the power(AA) of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil(AB) 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear(AC) of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.(AD) 17 For this reason he had to be made like them,[k](AE) fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful(AF) and faithful high priest(AG) in service to God,(AH) and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.(AI) 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.(AJ)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 2:7 Or them for a little while
  2. Hebrews 2:8 Psalm 8:4-6
  3. Hebrews 2:8 Or You made him a little lower than the angels;/ you crowned him with glory and honor/ and put everything under his feet.”
  4. Hebrews 2:8 Or him
  5. Hebrews 2:8 Or him
  6. Hebrews 2:8 Or him
  7. Hebrews 2:11 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 12; and in 3:1, 12; 10:19; 13:22.
  8. Hebrews 2:12 Psalm 22:22
  9. Hebrews 2:13 Isaiah 8:17
  10. Hebrews 2:13 Isaiah 8:18
  11. Hebrews 2:17 Or like his brothers

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?

Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.