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Judgment on Israel and Judah

Hear this, priests!
        Pay attention, house of Israel!
    Listen, house of the king!
        The judgment concerns you because you have been a trap at Mizpah,
            and a net spread out upon Tabor.
In their wicked condition, they have sunk deep into corruption;
        I will correct them through judgment.
I know Ephraim;
    Israel doesn’t escape my eye;
        for now Ephraim
        you have acted like a prostitute;
    Israel is defiled.
Their deeds don’t allow them
        to return to their God,
        because the spirit of prostitution is within them,
            and they don’t know the Lord.
Israel’s pride is a witness against him;
        both Israel and Ephraim stagger because of their guilt;
        Judah staggers with them.
With their sheep and their cattle they will go
        to seek the Lord,
        but they will not find him;
        he has withdrawn from them.
They have acted faithlessly against the Lord;
        for their children have produced illegitimate children.
        Now the new moon will devour them[a] along with their fields.

Blow a horn in Gibeah;
        blow a trumpet in Ramah.
    Sound the warning at Beth-aven:
        “Look behind you, Benjamin!”
Ephraim will become a horrible place
        on the Judgment Day.
    Against the tribes of Israel
        I will certainly announce what is to take place.
10 The princes of Judah act like raiders who steal the land;
        I will pour out my anger like water upon them.
11 Ephraim is under pressure from its enemies;
        Ephraim’s rights aren’t protected.
        This is because Ephraim chose to pursue worthless things.
12 Therefore, 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 went to Assyria,
        and Ephraim sent for the great king.
    But he could not heal them;
        nor could he cure their wound.
14 I am like a lion to Ephraim,
        like a young lion to the house of Judah.
    I am the one who tears the prey and goes forth;
        no one can snatch it from me.
15 I will leave so that I can return to my place
        until they pay for their deeds,
        until they seek me.
    In their distress,
        they will beg for my favor:

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 5:7 Heb uncertain

Judgment Against Israel

“Hear this, you priests!
    Pay attention, you Israelites!
Listen, royal house!
    This judgment(A) is against you:
You have been a snare(B) at Mizpah,
    a net(C) spread out on Tabor.
The rebels are knee-deep in slaughter.(D)
    I will discipline all of them.(E)
I know all about Ephraim;
    Israel is not hidden(F) from me.
Ephraim, you have now turned to prostitution;
    Israel is corrupt.(G)

“Their deeds do not permit them
    to return(H) to their God.
A spirit of prostitution(I) is in their heart;
    they do not acknowledge(J) the Lord.
Israel’s arrogance testifies(K) against them;
    the Israelites, even Ephraim, stumble(L) in their sin;
    Judah also stumbles with them.(M)
When they go with their flocks and herds
    to seek the Lord,(N)
they will not find him;
    he has withdrawn(O) himself from them.
They are unfaithful(P) to the Lord;
    they give birth to illegitimate(Q) children.
When they celebrate their New Moon feasts,(R)
    he will devour[a](S) their fields.

“Sound the trumpet(T) in Gibeah,(U)
    the horn in Ramah.(V)
Raise the battle cry in Beth Aven[b];(W)
    lead on, Benjamin.
Ephraim will be laid waste(X)
    on the day of reckoning.(Y)
Among the tribes of Israel
    I proclaim what is certain.(Z)
10 Judah’s leaders are like those
    who move boundary stones.(AA)
I will pour out my wrath(AB) on them
    like a flood of water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed,
    trampled in judgment,
    intent on pursuing idols.[c](AC)
12 I am like a moth(AD) to Ephraim,
    like rot(AE) to the people of Judah.

13 “When Ephraim(AF) saw his sickness,
    and Judah his sores,
then Ephraim turned to Assyria,(AG)
    and sent to the great king for help.(AH)
But he is not able to cure(AI) you,
    not able to heal your sores.(AJ)
14 For I will be like a lion(AK) to Ephraim,
    like a great lion to Judah.
I will tear them to pieces(AL) and go away;
    I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them.(AM)
15 Then I will return to my lair(AN)
    until they have borne their guilt(AO)
    and seek my face(AP)
in their misery(AQ)
    they will earnestly seek me.(AR)

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).
  3. Hosea 5:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.