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he has withdrawn from them.(O)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

Judgment against Israel

“Hear this, priests,
    pay attention, house of Israel,
        listen, royal family!
For judgment is coming your way,[a]
    because you have been a trap to Mizpah,
        a snare spread out on Mount[b] Tabor.
The rebels are deep into their slaughter;
    I am punishing them all.
I know Ephraim,
    and Israel cannot hide from me,
since you, Ephraim, have been acting like a prostitute,
    defiling Israel.

“Their actions hinder them from turning to their God,
    because a spirit of fornication is in their midst,
        and the Lord they do not know.
The arrogance of Israel testifies against him;
    therefore Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their iniquity,
        and Judah with them.
They will go with their flocks and herds
    to seek the Lord,
but they will not find him;
    he has withdrawn from them.
They have been unfaithful to the Lord,
    having raised unbelieving children.
In the coming month they will be devoured,
    along with their fields.[c]

“Sound the trumpet in Gibeah,
    and the alarm in Ramah.
Cry out at Beth-aven
    Go out,[d] Benjamin!
Ephraim will be desolate
    when it is rebuked.
I have made known among the tribes of Israel
    what will surely come about.
10 The princes of Judah have become
    like those who move boundary markers:
        I will pour out my anger on them like water.
11 Ephraim is crushed,
    broken by judgment,
        because he[e] willingly pursued idols.[f]
12 Therefore I will consume[g] Ephraim like a moth,
    and the house of Judah as rottenness consumes.
13 When Ephraim examined his illness
    and Judah his injury,
then Ephraim went to Assyria,
    and inquired of the great king;
but he could not cure you
    nor heal your injury.
14 Therefore I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
    and like a young lion to the house of Judah.
I—even I—will tear them[h] to pieces,
    and then I will leave.
I will take them[i] away,
    and there will be no rescue.

15 “I will leave and go back to my place
    until they admit their offense
        and seek my face.
When affliction comes to them,
    they will eagerly seek me.”

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 5:1 Lit. is toward you
  2. Hosea 5:1 The Heb. lacks Mount
  3. Hosea 5:7 Or inheritance
  4. Hosea 5:8 So LXX; MT After you
  5. Hosea 5:11 I.e. Ephraim as an individual personifying the northern kingdom of Israel.
  6. Hosea 5:11 So LXX; MT reads willingly went away from the command
  7. Hosea 5:12 The Heb. lacks will consume
  8. Hosea 5:14 The Heb. lacks them
  9. Hosea 5:14 The Heb. lacks them