Hosea

Judgment on Israel and Judah

1 “Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O royal house! For this judgment is against you because you have been a snare at Mizpah, a net spread out on Tabor.

2 The rebels are deep in slaughter; but I will chastise them all.

3 I know all about Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me. For now, O Ephraim, you have turned to prostitution; Israel is defiled.

4 Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God, for a spirit of prostitution is within them, and they do not know the LORD.

5 Israel’s arrogance testifies against them; Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; even Judah stumbles with them.

6 They go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, but they do not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.

7 They have been unfaithful to the LORD; for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the New Moon will devour them along with their land.

8 Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; raise the battle cry in Beth-aven: Lead on, O Benjamin!

9 Ephraim will be laid waste on the day of rebuke. Among the tribes of Israel I proclaim what is certain.

10 The princes of Judah are like those who move boundary stones; I will pour out My fury upon them like water.

11 Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, for he is determined to follow worthless idols.

12 So I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like decay to the house of Judah.

13 When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria and sent to the great king. But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.

14 For I am like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them to pieces and then go away. I will carry them off where no one can rescue them.

15 Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

Footnotes:
5:3 That is, the northern kingdom of Israel; also in verses 5, 9, 11, 12, 13, and 14
5:7 Or their New Moon feast or the coming month
5:8 Beth-aven means house of wickedness. This is a derogatory term for Bethel, which means house of God; see 1 Kings 12:28–29.
5:10 See Proverbs 22:28 and Proverbs 23:10.
5:11 Or to follow human precepts
5:13 Or to King Jareb