Hosea 5

1 “Hear this, priests! Pay attention, house of Israel! Listen, house of the king! For judgment is coming against you all. You have been a snare at Mizpah and a net spread over Tabor.

Give ear to this, O priests; give attention, O Israel, and you, family of the king; for you are to be judged; you have been a deceit at Mizpah and a net stretched out on Tabor.

2 The rebels stand deep in slaughter, but I will punish all of them.

They have gone deep in the evil ways of Shittim, but I am the judge of all.

3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me. Ephraim, now you have become like a prostitute; Israel is defiled.

I have knowledge of Ephraim, and Israel is not secret from me; for now, O Ephraim, you have been false to me, Israel has become unclean.

4 Their deeds will not allow them to turn to God, for the mind of adultery is in them, and they do not know Yahweh.

Their works will not let them come back to their God, for a false spirit is in them and they have no knowledge of the Lord.

5 The pride of Israel testifies against him; so Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their guilt; and Judah also will stumble with them.

And the pride of Israel gives an answer to his face; and Ephraim will have a fall through his sins, and the fall of Judah will be the same as theirs.

6 They will go with their flocks and herds to seek Yahweh, but they will not find him, for he has withdrawn himself from them.

They will go, with their flocks and their herds, in search of the Lord, but they will not see him; he has taken himself out of their view.

7 They were unfaithful to Yahweh, for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the new moon festivals will devour them with their fields.

They have been false to the Lord; they have given birth to strange children; now the new moon will make them waste with their fields.

8 Blow the horn in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah. Sound a battle cry at Beth Aven: 'We will follow you, Benjamin!'

Let the horn be sounded in Gibeah and in Ramah; give a loud cry in Beth-aven, They are after you, O Benjamin.

9 Ephraim will become a desolation on the day of punishment. Among the tribes of Israel I have declared what is certain to happen.

Ephraim will become a waste in the day of punishment; I have given knowledge among the tribes of Israel of what is certain.

10 The leaders of Judah are like those who move a boundary stone. I will pour my wrath on them like water.

The rulers of Judah are like those who take away a landmark; I will let loose my wrath on them like flowing water.

11 Ephraim is crushed; he is crushed in judgment, because he has willingly walked after idols.

Ephraim is troubled; he is crushed by his judges, because he took pleasure in walking after deceit.

12 So I will be like a moth to Ephraim, and like rot to the house of Judah.

And so to Ephraim I am like a wasting insect, and a destruction to the children of Judah.

13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and Judah sent messengers to the great king. But he was not able to cure you people or heal your wound.

When Ephraim saw his disease and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to the great king; but he is not able to make you well or give you help for your wound.

14 So I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear and go away; I will carry them off, and there will be no one to rescue them.

For I will be to Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the children of Judah; I, even I, will give him wounds and go away; I will take him away, and there will be no helper.

15 I will go and return to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, until they earnestly seek me in their distress.”

I will go back to my place till they are made waste; in their trouble they will go after me early and will make search for me.