Hear this, priests!(A)
Pay attention, house of Israel!
Listen, royal house!
For the judgment applies to you
because you have been a snare at Mizpah(B)
and a net spread out on Tabor.
Rebels(C) are deeply involved in slaughter;(D)
I will be a punishment for all of them.[a]
I know Ephraim,(E)
and Israel is not hidden from me.
For now, Ephraim,(F)
you have acted promiscuously;
Israel is defiled.
Their actions do not allow them
to return to their God,(G)
for a spirit of promiscuity is among them,(H)
and they do not know the Lord.(I)
Israel’s arrogance testifies against them.[b](J)
Both Israel and Ephraim stumble
because of their iniquity;(K)
even Judah will stumble with them.(L)
They go with their flocks and herds
to seek the Lord(M)
but do not find him;(N)
he has withdrawn from them.(O)
They betrayed the Lord;(P)
indeed, they gave birth to illegitimate children.(Q)
Now the New Moon(R) will devour them
along with their fields.(S)

Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah,(T)
the trumpet in Ramah;(U)
raise the war cry in Beth-aven:(V)
Look behind you,[c] Benjamin!(W)
Ephraim will become a desolation(X)
on the day of punishment;(Y)
I announce what is certain
among the tribes of Israel.(Z)
10 The princes of Judah are like those
who move boundary markers;(AA)
I will pour out my fury(AB) on them like water.(AC)
11 Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment,(AD)
for he is determined to follow what is worthless.[d]
12 So I am like rot to Ephraim(AE)
and like decay to the house of Judah.
13 When Ephraim saw his sickness
and Judah his wound,
Ephraim went to Assyria(AF)
and sent a delegation to the great king.[e](AG)
But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.(AH)
14 For I am like a lion to Ephraim(AI)
and like a young lion to the house of Judah.
Yes, I will tear them to pieces and depart.(AJ)
I will carry them off,
and no one can rescue them.(AK)
15 I will depart and return to my place
until they recognize their guilt and seek my face;(AL)
they will search for me in their distress.(AM)

Footnotes

  1. 5:2 Hb obscure
  2. 5:5 Lit against his face
  3. 5:8 Or We will follow you
  4. 5:11 Or follow a command; Hb obscure
  5. 5:13 Or to King Yareb

Punishment Coming for Israel and Judah

(A)Hear this, O priests!
    Pay attention, O house of Israel!
Give ear, O house of the king!
    For the judgment is for you;
for (B)you have been a snare at Mizpah
    and a net spread upon (C)Tabor.
And (D)the revolters (E)have gone deep into slaughter,
    but (F)I will discipline all of them.

(G)I know Ephraim,
    and Israel is not hidden from me;
for now, O Ephraim, you have played the whore;
    Israel is defiled.
(H)Their deeds do not permit them
    to return to their God.
For (I)the spirit of whoredom is within them,
    and they know not the Lord.

(J)The pride of Israel testifies to his face;[a]
    Israel and (K)Ephraim shall stumble in his guilt;
    (L)Judah also shall stumble with them.
(M)With their flocks and herds they shall go
    to seek the Lord,
(N)but they will not find him;
    (O)he has withdrawn from them.
(P)They have dealt faithlessly with the Lord;
    for they have borne alien children.
    Now the new moon shall devour them with their fields.

(Q)Blow the horn in (R)Gibeah,
    the trumpet in (S)Ramah.
Sound the alarm at (T)Beth-aven;
    we follow you,[b] O Benjamin!
Ephraim shall become a desolation
    in the day of punishment;
among the tribes of Israel
    I make known what is sure.
10 The princes of Judah have become
    like (U)those who move the landmark;
upon them I will pour out
    my wrath like water.
11 Ephraim is (V)oppressed, crushed in judgment,
    because he was determined to go after filth.[c]
12 But I am (W)like a moth to Ephraim,
    and (X)like dry rot to the house of Judah.

13 When Ephraim saw his sickness,
    and Judah (Y)his wound,
then Ephraim went (Z)to Assyria,
    and sent to the great king.[d]
(AA)But he is not able to cure you
    or heal (AB)your wound.
14 For I will be (AC)like a lion to (AD)Ephraim,
    and like a young lion to the house of (AE)Judah.
(AF)I, even I, will tear and go away;
    I will carry off, and no one shall rescue.

15 (AG)I will return again to my place,
    until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face,
    and (AH)in their distress earnestly seek me.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 5:5 Or in his presence
  2. Hosea 5:8 Or after you
  3. Hosea 5:11 Or to follow human precepts
  4. Hosea 5:13 Or to King Jareb