Hosea 5

1 “Listen to this, you priests! Listen, house of Israel, and give ear, house of the king! For the judgment is against you; for you have been a snare at Mizpah, and a net spread on Tabor.

Hear this, priests, and pay attention, house of Israel, and listen closely, house of the king. For there is a judgment against you, because you have become a trap for those you watched over, and a net stretched out over Tabor.

2 The rebels are deep in slaughter, but I discipline all of them.

And you have led astray victims into the depths, though I am the teacher of them all.

3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me; for now, Ephraim, you have played the prostitute. Israel is defiled.

I know Ephraim, and Israel has not been hidden from me, yet now Ephraim has committed fornication, and Israel has been contaminated.

4 Their deeds will not allow them to turn to their God, for the spirit of prostitution is within them, and they do not know the LORD.

They will not set their thoughts to return to their God, for the spirit of fornication is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord.

5 The pride of Israel testifies to his face. Therefore Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their iniquity. Judah also will stumble with them.

And the arrogance of Israel will answer to his face. And Israel and Ephraim will fall in their iniquity, and even Judah will fall with them.

6 They will go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD, but they will not find him. He has withdrawn himself from them.

With their flocks and their herds, they will go to seek the Lord, and they will not find him. He has taken himself away from them.

7 They are unfaithful to the LORD; for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the new moon will devour them with their fields.

They have sinned against the Lord. For they have conceived sons that are strangers. Now one month will devour them with all their own.

8 “Blow the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah! Sound a battle cry at Beth Aven, behind you, Benjamin!

Sound the bugle in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah. Shout in Bethaven, behind your back, O Benjamin.

9 Ephraim will become a desolation in the day of rebuke. Among the tribes of Israel, I have made known that which will surely be.

Ephraim will be in desolation on the day of correction, for within the tribes of Israel, I have revealed faith.

10 The princes of Judah are like those who remove a landmark. I will pour out my wrath on them like water.

The leaders of Judah have become like those who assume the end. I will pour my wrath over them like water.

11 Ephraim is oppressed, he is crushed in judgment, because he is intent in his pursuit of idols.

Ephraim has been enduring malicious slander and broken judgment, because he began to go after filth.

12 Therefore I am to Ephraim like a moth, and to the house of Judah like rottenness.

And I will be 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 sent to King Jareb: but he is not able to heal you, neither will he cure you of your wound.

And Ephraim saw his own weakness, and Judah his chains. And Ephraim went to Assur, and he sent to the Avenging king. But he will not be able to heal you, nor is he able to release you from your chains.

14 For I will be to Ephraim like a lion, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I myself will tear in pieces and go away. I will carry off, and there will be no one to deliver.

For I will be like a lioness to Ephraim, and like a lion’s offspring to the house of Judah. I myself will seize and go forth. I will take away, and there is no one who can rescue.

15 I will go and return to my place, until they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face. In their affliction they will seek me earnestly.”

I will go and return to my place, until you shall grow faint and seek my face.