Hosea 4-6
Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord Is Angry Against Israel
4 People of Israel, listen to the Lord’s message. The Lord has something to say against those who live in this land: “The people in this land are not honest or loyal. They don’t really know God. 2 They are always cursing, lying, killing, stealing, and committing adultery. They murder one person after another. 3 So the country is like someone crying for the dead, and all of its people are weak. Even the animals of the field, the birds of the sky, and the fish in the sea are dying.[a] 4 No one should argue or blame another person. Priests, my argument is with you![b] 5 You priests will fall in the daytime. And at night the prophet will also fall with you. I will also destroy your mother.
6 “My people are destroyed because they have no knowledge. You priests have refused to learn, so I will refuse to let you be priests for me. You have forgotten the law of your God, so I will forget your children. 7 They became proud. They sinned more and more against me, so I will change their honor to shame.
8 “The priests fed on the people’s sins. They wanted more and more of their sin offerings.[c] 9 So the priests are no different from the people. I will punish them for the things they did. I will pay them back for the wrong things they did. 10 They will eat, but they will not be satisfied. They will commit sexual sins, but they will not have babies.[d] This is because they left the Lord and became like prostitutes.
11 “Sexual sins, strong drink, and new wine ruin a person’s ability to think straight. 12 My people are asking pieces of wood for advice. They think those sticks will answer them! They have chased after those false gods like prostitutes and have left their own God. 13 They make sacrifices on the tops of the mountains and burn incense on the hills under oak trees, poplar trees, and elm trees.[e] The shade under those trees looks nice. So your daughters lie under those trees like prostitutes, and your daughters-in-law commit sexual sins.
14 “I cannot blame your daughters or your daughters-in-law for doing this, because your men go and have sex with the temple prostitutes[f] and offer sacrifices with them. This is how foolish people destroy themselves.
The Shameful Sins of Israel
15 “Israel, just because you act like a prostitute doesn’t mean that Judah should feel guilty too. People, don’t go to Gilgal or Beth Aven.[g] Don’t use the Lord’s name to make promises. Don’t say, ‘As the Lord lives …!’ 16 The Lord has given many things to Israel. He is like a shepherd who takes his sheep to a large field with plenty of grass. But Israel is stubborn like a young cow that runs away again and again.
17 “Ephraim has joined his idols, so leave him alone. 18 Ephraim has joined their drunkenness. Let them continue to be prostitutes. Let them be with their lovers.[h] 19 They went to those gods for safety, and they have lost their ability to think.[i] Their altars will bring them shame.
The Leaders Cause Israel and Judah to Sin
5 “Priests, nation[j] of Israel, and people in the king’s family, listen to me. You have been judged guilty!
“You were like a trap at Mizpah[k] and like a net spread on the ground at Tabor.[l] 2 You have done many evil things,[m] so I will punish you all. 3 I know Ephraim. I know what Israel has done. Ephraim, right now you act like a prostitute. Israel is dirty with sin. 4 The people of Israel have done many evil things, and these evil things keep them from coming back to their God. They are always thinking of ways to chase after other gods. They don’t know the Lord. 5 Israel’s pride is a witness against them,[n] so Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their sin. But Judah will also stumble with them.
6 “The leaders of the people went to look for the Lord. They took their sheep and cattle with them, but they did not find the Lord because he refused to accept them. 7 They have not been faithful to the Lord. Their children are from some stranger. And now, he will destroy them and their land again.[o]
A Prophecy of Israel’s Destruction
8 “Blow the horn in Gibeah.
Blow the trumpet in Ramah.[p]
Give the warning at Beth Aven.
The enemy is behind you, Benjamin.
9 Ephraim will become empty
at the time of punishment.
I, God, warn the families of Israel
that this really will happen.
10 The leaders of Judah are like thieves trying to steal someone’s property,
so I will pour out my anger on them like water.
11 Ephraim will be punished.
He will be crushed and pressed like grapes,
because he decided to follow filth.
12 I will destroy Ephraim as a moth eats a piece of cloth.
I will ruin Judah, like rot on a piece of wood.
13 Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound,
so they went to Assyria for help.
They told their problems to the great king,
but he cannot heal you or cure your wound.
14 I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
like a young lion to the nation of Judah.
I—yes, I myself—will rip them to pieces.
I will carry them away,
and no one can save them.
15 I will go back to my place,
until the people admit they are guilty,
until they come looking for me.
Yes, in their trouble they will try very hard to find me.”
The Rewards of Coming Back to the Lord
6 “Come, let’s go back to the Lord.
He hurt us, but he will heal us.
He wounded us, but he will put bandages on us.
2 After two days he will bring us back to life.
He will raise us up on the third day.
Then we can live near him.
3 Let’s learn about the Lord.
Let’s try very hard to know him.
We know he is coming,
just as we know the dawn is coming.
He will come to us like the rain,
like the spring rain that waters the ground.”
The People Are Not Faithful
4 “Ephraim, what should I do with you?
Judah, what should I do with you?
Your faithfulness is like a morning mist.
Your faithfulness is like the dew that goes away early in the morning.
5 I used the prophets
and made laws for the people.
The people were killed at my command,
but good things will come from those decisions.[q]
6 This is because I want faithful love,
not sacrifice.
I want people to know God,
not to bring burnt offerings.
7 But the people broke the agreement as Adam did.[r]
They were unfaithful to me in their country.
8 Gilead is a city of people who do evil—
people who have tricked and killed others.
9 The priests are like gangs of robbers
hiding and waiting on the road to attack someone.
They murder people before they reach safety in Shechem.
They do such evil things.
10 I have seen a terrible thing in the nation[s] of Israel.
Ephraim was unfaithful to God.
Israel is dirty with sin.
11 Judah, there is also a time of harvest for you.
It will happen when I bring my people back from captivity.[t]
Footnotes
- Hosea 4:3 dying Literally, “being taken away.”
- Hosea 4:4 Or “The people cannot complain or blame someone else. The people are helpless, like arguing with a priest.” Many times the priests and Levites served as judges, and their decisions were final.
- Hosea 4:8 This is a wordplay. The word “sins” also means “sin offerings.” So instead of eating sacrifices, the priests became hungry for sin itself.
- Hosea 4:10 They … babies A part of worshiping the false gods was having sexual relations with temple prostitutes. The people thought this would make the gods happy. And then the gods would give the people large families and good crops.
- Hosea 4:13 under … trees Trees and groves were an important part of worshiping false gods.
- Hosea 4:14 temple prostitutes Women who were prostitutes at the temples of the false gods. Their sexual sins were part of worshiping those false gods.
- Hosea 4:15 Beth Aven A name meaning “House of Evil.” It is a wordplay on the name “Bethel,” a name meaning “House of God.” There was a temple in this town. Also in 5:8.
- Hosea 4:18 lovers This means Israel’s false gods.
- Hosea 4:19 They … think Or “The wind has carried them away on its wings” or “The spirit held them tight in its wings.” The Hebrew text here is hard to understand.
- Hosea 5:1 nation Literally, “house.” This might mean the royal family of that country. Also in verse 14.
- Hosea 5:1 Mizpah A mountain in Israel. The people worshiped the false gods on many of the hills and mountains.
- Hosea 5:1 Tabor A mountain in Israel.
- Hosea 5:2 You … evil things The Hebrew text here is hard to understand. It seems to be a wordplay of some kind.
- Hosea 5:5 them Literally, “his face.”
- Hosea 5:7 And now … again The Hebrew text here is hard to understand.
- Hosea 5:8 Gibeah, Ramah Cities on Judah’s border with Israel.
- Hosea 6:5 but good things … decisions Or “I cut them with the prophets. I killed them with the words from my mouth. Light will come from your decisions.”
- Hosea 6:7 as Adam did See Gen. 3.
- Hosea 6:10 nation Literally, “house.” This might mean the royal family of that country.
- Hosea 6:11 It will … captivity Or “It will happen when I restore my people’s fortune.”
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