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

10 “The leaders of Judah have become like thieves.[c]
    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.[d]
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.”

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Footnotes

  1. 5:8 Beth-aven means “house of wickedness”; it is being used as another name for Bethel, which means “house of God.”
  2. 5:9 Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel; also in 5:11, 12, 13, 14.
  3. 5:10 Hebrew like those who move a boundary marker.
  4. 5:11 Or determined to follow human commands. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.

“Sound the trumpet(A) in Gibeah,(B)
    the horn in Ramah.(C)
Raise the battle cry in Beth Aven[a];(D)
    lead on, Benjamin.
Ephraim will be laid waste(E)
    on the day of reckoning.(F)
Among the tribes of Israel
    I proclaim what is certain.(G)
10 Judah’s leaders are like those
    who move boundary stones.(H)
I will pour out my wrath(I) on them
    like a flood of water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed,
    trampled in judgment,
    intent on pursuing idols.[b](J)
12 I am like a moth(K) to Ephraim,
    like rot(L) to the people of Judah.

13 “When Ephraim(M) saw his sickness,
    and Judah his sores,
then Ephraim turned to Assyria,(N)
    and sent to the great king for help.(O)
But he is not able to cure(P) you,
    not able to heal your sores.(Q)
14 For I will be like a lion(R) to Ephraim,
    like a great lion to Judah.
I will tear them to pieces(S) and go away;
    I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them.(T)
15 Then I will return to my lair(U)
    until they have borne their guilt(V)
    and seek my face(W)
in their misery(X)
    they will earnestly seek me.(Y)

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 5:8 Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God).
  2. Hosea 5:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.