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The Lord Announces the Verdict against Israel

“Listen to this, you priests!
    Pay attention, nation of Israel!
    Open your ears, royal family!
    This is my decision about you.
    You set traps at Mizpah
    and spread out nets on Mount Tabor.
You are deeply involved in sin.
    So I will punish all of you.[a]
I know Ephraim,
    and Israel isn’t a stranger to me.
    Now, Ephraim, you are acting like a prostitute,
    and Israel is unclean.[b]

“The wicked things that the people have done
    keep them from returning to their Elohim.
        They have a spirit of prostitution,
            and they don’t know Yahweh.
The people of Israel’s arrogance testifies against them.
    Israel and Ephraim stumble because of their sins,
    and Judah stumbles with them.
They go with their sheep and their cattle to search for Yahweh,
    but they can’t find him.
        He has left them.
They have been unfaithful to Yahweh,
    because their children do not belong to him.
    Now their New Moon Festivals will devour them and their fields.

“Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah.
    Blow the trumpet in Ramah.
    Sound the alarm at Beth Aven, you descendants of Benjamin.
Ephraim will become a wasteland
    when the time for punishment comes.
        I will make the truth known among the tribes of Israel.
10 The leaders of Judah are like those who move boundary markers.
    I will pour my fury on them like water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed—crushed by punishment,
    because its people are determined to chase idols.[c]
12 I will destroy Ephraim as a moth destroys clothing.
    I will destroy the nation of Judah as rot destroys wood.

13 “When Ephraim saw that he was sick
    and when Judah saw his own wounds,
        Ephraim went to Assyria to ask the great king for help.[d]
            But the king couldn’t cure them or heal their wounds.
14 I will be like a lion to Ephraim
    and like a young lion to the nation of Judah.
    I will carry them off, and no one will rescue them.
15 I will go back to my place until they admit that they are guilty.
    Then they will search for me.
        In their distress they will eagerly look for me.”

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 5:2 Hebrew meaning of this verse uncertain.
  2. Hosea 5:3 “Unclean” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is not presentable to God.
  3. Hosea 5:11 Greek, Syriac, Targum; Masoretic Text “to chase commands.”
  4. Hosea 5:13 Or “to ask King Jareb for help.”

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.