Impending Judgment on Israel and Judah

“Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! For yours is the judgment, Because you have been a snare to Mizpah And a net spread on Tabor.

The revolters are deeply involved in slaughter, Though I rebuke them all.

“They do not direct their deeds Toward turning to their God, For the spirit of harlotry is in their midst, And they do not know the Lord.

The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; Judah also stumbles with them.

“With their flocks and herds They shall go to seek the Lord, But they will not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.

They have dealt treacherously with the Lord, For they have begotten pagan children. Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage.

Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke; Among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure.

“When Ephraim saw his sickness, And Judah saw his wound, Then Ephraim went to Assyria And sent to King Jareb; Yet he cannot cure you, Nor heal you of your wound.

For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, And like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall rescue.

I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

A Call to Repentance

Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight.

Impenitence of Israel and Judah

“O Ephraim, what shall I do to you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, And like the early dew it goes away.

Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And your judgments are like light that goes forth.

For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

As bands of robbers lie in wait for a man, So the company of priests murder on the way to Shechem; Surely they commit lewdness.

I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel: There is the harlotry of Ephraim; Israel is defiled.

Israel Has Rebelled Against God

“When I would have healed Israel, Then the iniquity of Ephraim was uncovered, And the wickedness of Samaria. For they have committed fraud; A thief comes in; A band of robbers takes spoil outside.

They do not consider in their hearts That I remember all their wickedness; Now their own deeds have surrounded them; They are before My face.

“They are all adulterers. Like an oven heated by a baker— He ceases stirring the fire after kneading the dough, Until it is leavened.

In the day of our king Princes have made him sick, inflamed with wine; He stretched out his hand with scoffers.

They prepare their heart like an oven, While they lie in wait; Their baker sleeps all night; In the morning it burns like a flaming fire.

Aliens have devoured his strength, But he does not know it; Yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, Yet he does not know it.

And the pride of Israel testifies to his face, But they do not return to the Lord their God, Nor seek Him for all this.

Futile Reliance on the Nations

“Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without sense— They call to Egypt, They go to Assyria.