Add parallel Print Page Options

With their flocks and herds they will go
    to seek the Lord, but will not find him;(A)
    he has withdrawn from them.
They have betrayed the Lord,
    for they have borne illegitimate children;
Now the new moon[a] will devour them
    together with their fields.

Political Upheavals[b]

Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah,
    the trumpet in Ramah!
Sound the alarm in Beth-aven:(B)
    “Look behind you, Benjamin!”[c]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 5:7 New moon: normally a feast day of joy (2:13), but, because of infidelity, it will be a day of destruction.
  2. 5:8–14 This passage describes political and military conflict between Judah and Israel. Perhaps some allusion is made to the Syro-Ephraimite war of 735–734 B.C., when a coalition of Arameans and Israelites attempted to dethrone the king of Judah (2 Kgs 16:5; Is 7:1–9). Judah repulsed the attempt with the aid of Assyria, and the latter devastated both Aram and Israel.
  3. 5:8 A vision of invasion, from Gibeah and Ramah in northern Judah, into Israel.

When they go with their flocks and herds
    to seek the Lord,(A)
they will not find him;
    he has withdrawn(B) himself from them.
They are unfaithful(C) to the Lord;
    they give birth to illegitimate(D) children.
When they celebrate their New Moon feasts,(E)
    he will devour[a](F) their fields.

“Sound the trumpet(G) in Gibeah,(H)
    the horn in Ramah.(I)
Raise the battle cry in Beth Aven[b];(J)
    lead on, Benjamin.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  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).