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God’s Word Against the Leaders

“Listen, you priests.
    Pay attention, people of Israel.
Listen, royal family,
    because you will all be judged.
You have been like a trap at Mizpah
    and like a net spread out at Mount Tabor.
You have done many evil things,
    so I will punish you all.
I know all about the people of Israel;
    what they have done is not hidden from me.
Now that Israel acts like a prostitute,
    it has made itself unclean.

“They will not give up their deeds
    and return to their God.
They are determined to be unfaithful to me;
    they do not know the Lord.
Israel’s pride testifies against them.
    The people of Israel will stumble because of their sin,
    and the people of Judah will stumble with them.
They will come to worship the Lord,
    bringing their flocks and herds,
but they will not be able to find him,
    because he has left them.
They have not been true to the Lord;
    they are children who do not belong to him.
So their false worship
    will destroy them and their land.

“Blow the horn in Gibeah
    and the trumpet in Ramah.
Give the warning at Beth Aven,
    and be first into battle, people of Benjamin.
Israel will be ruined
    on the day of punishment.
To the tribes of Israel
    I tell the truth.
10 The leaders of Judah are like those
    who steal other people’s land.
I will pour my punishment over them
    like a flood of water.
11 Israel is crushed by the punishment,
    because it decided to follow idols.
12 I am like a moth to Israel,
    like a rot to the people of Judah.

13 “When Israel saw its illness
    and Judah saw its wounds,
Israel went to Assyria for help
    and sent to the great king of Assyria.
But he cannot heal you
    or cure your wounds.
14 I will be like a lion to Israel,
    like a young lion to Judah.
I will attack them
    and tear them to pieces.
I will drag them off,
    and no one will be able to save them.
15 Then I will go back to my place
    until they suffer for their guilt and turn back to me.
    In their trouble they will look for me.”

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.