Impending Judgment on Israel and Judah

“Hear this, O priests!
Take heed, O house of Israel!
Give ear, O house of the king!
For [a]yours is the judgment,
Because (A)you have been a snare to Mizpah
And a net spread on Tabor.
The revolters are (B)deeply involved in slaughter,
Though I rebuke them all.
(C)I know Ephraim,
And Israel is not hidden from Me;
For now, O Ephraim, (D)you commit harlotry;
Israel is defiled.

“They[b] do not direct their deeds
Toward turning to their God,
For (E)the spirit of harlotry is in their midst,
And they do not know the Lord.
The (F)pride of Israel testifies to his face;
Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity;
Judah also stumbles with them.

“With their flocks and herds
(G)They shall go to seek the Lord,
But they will not find Him;
He has withdrawn Himself from them.
They have (H)dealt treacherously with the Lord,
For they have begotten [c]pagan children.
Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage.

“Blow(I) the ram’s horn in Gibeah,
The trumpet in Ramah!
(J)Cry aloud at (K)Beth Aven,
Look behind you, O Benjamin!’
Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke;
Among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure.

10 “The princes of Judah are like those who (L)remove a landmark;
I will pour out My wrath on them like water.
11 Ephraim is (M)oppressed and broken in judgment,
Because he willingly walked by (N)human precept.
12 Therefore I will be to Ephraim like a moth,
And to the house of Judah (O)like rottenness.

13 “When Ephraim saw his sickness,
And Judah saw his (P)wound,
Then Ephraim went (Q)to Assyria
And sent to King Jareb;
Yet he cannot cure you,
Nor heal you of your wound.
14 For (R)I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
And like a young lion to the house of Judah.
(S)I, even I, will tear them and go away;
I will take them away, and no one shall rescue.
15 I will return again to My place
Till they [d]acknowledge their offense.
Then they will seek My face;
In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 5:1 Or to you
  2. Hosea 5:4 Or Their deeds will not allow them to turn
  3. Hosea 5:7 Lit. strange
  4. Hosea 5:15 Lit. become guilty or bear punishment

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.