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For behold, they will go away because of devastation and destruction;
Egypt will gather them up, Memphis will bury them.
Weeds will take over their treasures of silver;
Thorns will grow in their tents.


The days of punishment have come;
The days of retribution are at hand;
Let Israel know this!
The prophet is [considered] a fool;
The man [of God] who is inspired is [treated as if] demented,
Because of the abundance of your wickedness and guilt,
And because your deep antagonism [toward God and the prophets] is so great.(A)

Ephraim was a watchman with my God, a [true] prophet [to warn the nation];
But the snare of a bird catcher was laid in all his paths.
And there is only deep hostility in the house of his God (the land of Israel).

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Even if they escape from destruction,
    Egypt will gather them,(A)
    and Memphis(B) will bury them.(C)
Their treasures of silver(D) will be taken over by briers,
    and thorns(E) will overrun their tents.
The days of punishment(F) are coming,
    the days of reckoning(G) are at hand.
    Let Israel know this.
Because your sins(H) are so many
    and your hostility so great,
the prophet is considered a fool,(I)
    the inspired person a maniac.(J)
The prophet, along with my God,
    is the watchman over Ephraim,[a]
yet snares(K) await him on all his paths,
    and hostility in the house of his God.(L)

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 9:8 Or The prophet is the watchman over Ephraim, / the people of my God