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The Failure of Israel’s Leaders

“Hear this, you priests.
    Pay attention, you leaders of Israel.
Listen, you members of the royal family.
    Judgment has been handed down against you.
For you have led the people into a snare
    by worshiping the idols at Mizpah and Tabor.
You have dug a deep pit to trap them at Acacia Grove.[a]
    But I will settle with you for what you have done.
I know what you are like, O Ephraim.
    You cannot hide yourself from me, O Israel.
You have left me as a prostitute leaves her husband;
    you are utterly defiled.
Your deeds won’t let you return to your God.
    You are a prostitute through and through,
    and you do not know the Lord.

“The arrogance of Israel testifies against her;
    Israel and Ephraim will stumble under their load of guilt.
    Judah, too, will fall with them.
When they come with their flocks and herds
    to offer sacrifices to the Lord,
they will not find him,
    because he has withdrawn from them.
They have betrayed the honor of the Lord,
    bearing children that are not his.
Now their false religion will devour them
    along with their wealth.[b]

“Sound the alarm in Gibeah!
    Blow the trumpet in Ramah!
Raise the battle cry in Beth-aven[c]!
    Lead on into battle, O warriors of Benjamin!
One thing is certain, Israel[d]:
    On your day of punishment,
    you will become a heap of rubble.

10 “The leaders of Judah have become like thieves.[e]
    So I will pour my anger on them like a waterfall.
11 The people of Israel will be crushed and broken by my judgment
    because they are determined to worship idols.[f]
12 I will destroy Israel as a moth consumes wool.
    I will make Judah as weak as rotten wood.

13 “When Israel and Judah saw how sick they were,
    Israel turned to Assyria—
to the great king there—
    but he could neither help nor cure them.
14 I will be like a lion to Israel,
    like a strong young lion to Judah.
    I will tear them to pieces!
I will carry them off,
    and no one will be left to rescue them.
15 Then I will return to my place
    until they admit their guilt and turn to me.
For as soon as trouble comes,
    they will earnestly search for me.”

A Call to Repentance

“Come, let us return to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces;
    now he will heal us.
He has injured us;
    now he will bandage our wounds.
In just a short time he will restore us,
    so that we may live in his presence.
Oh, that we might know the Lord!
    Let us press on to know him.
He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn
    or the coming of rains in early spring.”

“O Israel[g] and Judah,
    what should I do with you?” asks the Lord.
“For your love vanishes like the morning mist
    and disappears like dew in the sunlight.
I sent my prophets to cut you to pieces—
    to slaughter you with my words,
    with judgments as inescapable as light.
I want you to show love,[h]
    not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me[i]
    more than I want burnt offerings.
But like Adam,[j] you broke my covenant
    and betrayed my trust.

“Gilead is a city of sinners,
    tracked with footprints of blood.
Priests form bands of robbers,
    waiting in ambush for their victims.
They murder travelers along the road to Shechem
    and practice every kind of sin.
10 Yes, I have seen something horrible in Ephraim and Israel:
    My people are defiled by prostituting themselves with other gods!

11 “O Judah, a harvest of punishment is also waiting for you,
    though I wanted to restore the fortunes of my people.

Israel’s Love for Wickedness

“I want to heal Israel, but its[k] sins are too great.
    Samaria is filled with liars.
Thieves are on the inside
    and bandits on the outside!
Its people don’t realize
    that I am watching them.
Their sinful deeds are all around them,
    and I see them all.

“The people entertain the king with their wickedness,
    and the princes laugh at their lies.
They are all adulterers,
    always aflame with lust.
They are like an oven that is kept hot
    while the baker is kneading the dough.
On royal holidays, the princes get drunk with wine,
    carousing with those who mock them.
Their hearts are like an oven
    blazing with intrigue.
Their plot smolders[l] through the night,
    and in the morning it breaks out like a raging fire.
Burning like an oven,
    they consume their leaders.
They kill their kings one after another,
    and no one cries to me for help.

“The people of Israel mingle with godless foreigners,
    making themselves as worthless as a half-baked cake!
Worshiping foreign gods has sapped their strength,
    but they don’t even know it.
Their hair is gray,
    but they don’t realize they’re old and weak.
10 Their arrogance testifies against them,
    yet they don’t return to the Lord their God
    or even try to find him.

11 “The people of Israel have become like silly, witless doves,
    first calling to Egypt, then flying to Assyria for help.
12 But as they fly about,
    I will throw my net over them
and bring them down like a bird from the sky.
    I will punish them for all the evil they do.[m]

13 “What sorrow awaits those who have deserted me!
    Let them die, for they have rebelled against me.
I wanted to redeem them,
    but they have told lies about me.
14 They do not cry out to me with sincere hearts.
    Instead, they sit on their couches and wail.
They cut themselves,[n] begging foreign gods for grain and new wine,
    and they turn away from me.
15 I trained them and made them strong,
    yet now they plot evil against me.
16 They look everywhere except to the Most High.
    They are as useless as a crooked bow.
Their leaders will be killed by their enemies
    because of their insolence toward me.
Then the people of Egypt
    will laugh at them.

Israel Harvests the Whirlwind

“Sound the alarm!
    The enemy descends like an eagle on the people of the Lord,
for they have broken my covenant
    and revolted against my law.
Now Israel pleads with me,
    ‘Help us, for you are our God!’
But it is too late.
The people of Israel have rejected what is good,
    and now their enemies will chase after them.
The people have appointed kings without my consent,
    and princes without my approval.
By making idols for themselves from their silver and gold,
    they have brought about their own destruction.

“O Samaria, I reject this calf—
    this idol you have made.
My fury burns against you.
    How long will you be incapable of innocence?
This calf you worship, O Israel,
    was crafted by your own hands!
It is not God!
    Therefore, it must be smashed to bits.

“They have planted the wind
    and will harvest the whirlwind.
The stalks of grain wither
    and produce nothing to eat.
And even if there is any grain,
    foreigners will eat it.
The people of Israel have been swallowed up;
    they lie among the nations like an old discarded pot.
Like a wild donkey looking for a mate,
    they have gone up to Assyria.
The people of Israel[o] have sold themselves—
    sold themselves to many lovers.
10 But though they have sold themselves to many allies,
    I will now gather them together for judgment.
Then they will writhe
    under the burden of the great king.

11 “Israel has built many altars to take away sin,
    but these very altars became places for sinning!
12 Even though I gave them all my laws,
    they act as if those laws don’t apply to them.
13 The people love to offer sacrifices to me,
    feasting on the meat,
    but I do not accept their sacrifices.
I will hold my people accountable for their sins,
    and I will punish them.
    They will return to Egypt.
14 Israel has forgotten its Maker and built great palaces,
    and Judah has fortified its cities.
Therefore, I will send down fire on their cities
    and will burn up their fortresses.”

Notas al pie

  1. 5:2 Hebrew at Shittim. The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
  2. 5:7 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  3. 5:8 Beth-aven means “house of wickedness”; it is being used as another name for Bethel, which means “house of God.”
  4. 5:9 Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel; also in 5:11, 12, 13, 14.
  5. 5:10 Hebrew like those who move a boundary marker.
  6. 5:11 Or determined to follow human commands. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  7. 6:4 Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel.
  8. 6:6a Greek version translates this Hebrew term as to show mercy. Compare Matt 9:13; 12:7.
  9. 6:6b Hebrew to know God.
  10. 6:7 Or But at Adam.
  11. 7:1 Hebrew Ephraim’s, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel; similarly in 7:8, 11.
  12. 7:6 Hebrew Their baker sleeps.
  13. 7:12 Hebrew I will punish them because of what was reported against them in the assembly.
  14. 7:14 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads They gather together.
  15. 8:9 Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel; also in 8:11.

Judgment Against Israel

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

“Their deeds do not permit them
    to return(H) to their God.
A spirit of prostitution(I) is in their heart;
    they do not acknowledge(J) the Lord.
Israel’s arrogance testifies(K) against them;
    the Israelites, even Ephraim, stumble(L) in their sin;
    Judah also stumbles with them.(M)
When they go with their flocks and herds
    to seek the Lord,(N)
they will not find him;
    he has withdrawn(O) himself from them.
They are unfaithful(P) to the Lord;
    they give birth to illegitimate(Q) children.
When they celebrate their New Moon feasts,(R)
    he will devour[a](S) their fields.

“Sound the trumpet(T) in Gibeah,(U)
    the horn in Ramah.(V)
Raise the battle cry in Beth Aven[b];(W)
    lead on, Benjamin.
Ephraim will be laid waste(X)
    on the day of reckoning.(Y)
Among the tribes of Israel
    I proclaim what is certain.(Z)
10 Judah’s leaders are like those
    who move boundary stones.(AA)
I will pour out my wrath(AB) on them
    like a flood of water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed,
    trampled in judgment,
    intent on pursuing idols.[c](AC)
12 I am like a moth(AD) to Ephraim,
    like rot(AE) to the people of Judah.

13 “When Ephraim(AF) saw his sickness,
    and Judah his sores,
then Ephraim turned to Assyria,(AG)
    and sent to the great king for help.(AH)
But he is not able to cure(AI) you,
    not able to heal your sores.(AJ)
14 For I will be like a lion(AK) to Ephraim,
    like a great lion to Judah.
I will tear them to pieces(AL) and go away;
    I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them.(AM)
15 Then I will return to my lair(AN)
    until they have borne their guilt(AO)
    and seek my face(AP)
in their misery(AQ)
    they will earnestly seek me.(AR)

Israel Unrepentant

“Come, let us return(AS) to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces(AT)
    but he will heal us;(AU)
he has injured us
    but he will bind up our wounds.(AV)
After two days he will revive us;(AW)
    on the third day(AX) he will restore(AY) us,
    that we may live in his presence.
Let us acknowledge the Lord;
    let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
    he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,(AZ)
    like the spring rains that water the earth.(BA)

“What can I do with you, Ephraim?(BB)
    What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist,
    like the early dew that disappears.(BC)
Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets,
    I killed you with the words of my mouth(BD)
    then my judgments go forth like the sun.[d](BE)
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,(BF)
    and acknowledgment(BG) of God rather than burnt offerings.(BH)
As at Adam,[e] they have broken the covenant;(BI)
    they were unfaithful(BJ) to me there.
Gilead is a city of evildoers,(BK)
    stained with footprints of blood.
As marauders lie in ambush for a victim,(BL)
    so do bands of priests;
they murder(BM) on the road to Shechem,
    carrying out their wicked schemes.(BN)
10 I have seen a horrible(BO) thing in Israel:
    There Ephraim is given to prostitution,
    Israel is defiled.(BP)

11 “Also for you, Judah,
    a harvest(BQ) is appointed.

“Whenever I would restore the fortunes(BR) of my people,

whenever I would heal Israel,
the sins of Ephraim are exposed
    and the crimes of Samaria revealed.(BS)
They practice deceit,(BT)
    thieves break into houses,(BU)
    bandits rob in the streets;(BV)
but they do not realize
    that I remember(BW) all their evil deeds.(BX)
Their sins engulf them;(BY)
    they are always before me.

“They delight the king with their wickedness,
    the princes with their lies.(BZ)
They are all adulterers,(CA)
    burning like an oven
whose fire the baker need not stir
    from the kneading of the dough till it rises.
On the day of the festival of our king
    the princes become inflamed with wine,(CB)
    and he joins hands with the mockers.(CC)
Their hearts are like an oven;(CD)
    they approach him with intrigue.
Their passion smolders all night;
    in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
All of them are hot as an oven;
    they devour their rulers.
All their kings fall,(CE)
    and none of them calls(CF) on me.

“Ephraim mixes(CG) with the nations;
    Ephraim is a flat loaf not turned over.
Foreigners sap his strength,(CH)
    but he does not realize it.
His hair is sprinkled with gray,
    but he does not notice.
10 Israel’s arrogance testifies against him,(CI)
    but despite all this
he does not return(CJ) to the Lord his God
    or search(CK) for him.

11 “Ephraim is like a dove,(CL)
    easily deceived and senseless—
now calling to Egypt,(CM)
    now turning to Assyria.(CN)
12 When they go, I will throw my net(CO) over them;
    I will pull them down like the birds in the sky.
When I hear them flocking together,
    I will catch them.
13 Woe(CP) to them,
    because they have strayed(CQ) from me!
Destruction to them,
    because they have rebelled against me!
I long to redeem them
    but they speak about me(CR) falsely.(CS)
14 They do not cry out to me from their hearts(CT)
    but wail on their beds.
They slash themselves,[f] appealing to their gods
    for grain and new wine,(CU)
    but they turn away from me.(CV)
15 I trained(CW) them and strengthened their arms,
    but they plot evil(CX) against me.
16 They do not turn to the Most High;(CY)
    they are like a faulty bow.(CZ)
Their leaders will fall by the sword
    because of their insolent(DA) words.
For this they will be ridiculed(DB)
    in the land of Egypt.(DC)

Israel to Reap the Whirlwind

“Put the trumpet(DD) to your lips!
    An eagle(DE) is over the house of the Lord
because the people have broken my covenant(DF)
    and rebelled against my law.(DG)
Israel cries out to me,
    ‘Our God, we acknowledge you!’
But Israel has rejected what is good;
    an enemy will pursue him.(DH)
They set up kings without my consent;
    they choose princes without my approval.(DI)
With their silver and gold
    they make idols(DJ) for themselves
    to their own destruction.
Samaria, throw out your calf-idol!(DK)
    My anger burns against them.
How long will they be incapable of purity?(DL)
    They are from Israel!
This calf—a metalworker has made it;
    it is not God.(DM)
It will be broken in pieces,
    that calf(DN) of Samaria.(DO)

“They sow the wind
    and reap the whirlwind.(DP)
The stalk has no head;
    it will produce no flour.(DQ)
Were it to yield grain,
    foreigners would swallow it up.(DR)
Israel is swallowed up;(DS)
    now she is among the nations
    like something no one wants.(DT)
For they have gone up to Assyria(DU)
    like a wild donkey(DV) wandering alone.
    Ephraim has sold herself to lovers.(DW)
10 Although they have sold themselves among the nations,
    I will now gather them together.(DX)
They will begin to waste away(DY)
    under the oppression of the mighty king.

11 “Though Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings,
    these have become altars for sinning.(DZ)
12 I wrote for them the many things of my law,
    but they regarded them as something foreign.(EA)
13 Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to me,
    and though they eat(EB) the meat,
    the Lord is not pleased with them.(EC)
Now he will remember(ED) their wickedness
    and punish their sins:(EE)
    They will return to Egypt.(EF)
14 Israel has forgotten(EG) their Maker(EH)
    and built palaces;
    Judah has fortified many towns.
But I will send fire on their cities
    that will consume their fortresses.”(EI)

Notas al pie

  1. Hosea 5:7 Or Now their New Moon feasts / will devour them and
  2. Hosea 5:8 Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God).
  3. Hosea 5:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  4. Hosea 6:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
  5. Hosea 6:7 Or Like Adam; or Like human beings
  6. Hosea 7:14 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts They gather together