Hosea, 5

¹ “Hear this, O priests, and pay attention, O house of Israel, and YOU, O house of the king, give ear, for with YOU people the judgment has to do; because a trap is what YOU have become to Mizʹpah and as a net spread over Taʹbor.

² And in slaughter work those falling away have gone deep down, and I was an exhortation to all of them.

³ I personally have known Eʹphra·im, and Israel itself has not been hidden from me. For now, O Eʹphra·im, you have treated [women] like harlots; Israel has defiled itself.

⁴ Their dealings do not permit of a returning to their God,^*1 because there is a spirit of fornication in the midst of them; and Jehovah himself they have not acknowledged.

⁵ And the pride of Israel has testified to his face; and Israel and Eʹphra·im themselves are made to stumble in their error. Judah has also stumbled with them.

⁶ With their flock and with their herd they proceeded to go and look for Jehovah, but they could not find [him]. He had drawn away from them.

⁷ With Jehovah himself they have dealt treacherously, for it is to strange sons that they have become father. Now a month will devour them with their portions.

⁸ “BLOW a horn^*1 in Gibʹe·ah, a trumpet^*2 in Raʹmah! SHOUT a war cry at Beth-aʹven—after you, O Benjamin!

⁹ O Eʹphra·im, a mere object of astonishment you will become in the day of rebuke. Among the tribes of Israel I have made known trustworthy words.

¹⁰ The princes of Judah have become just like those moving back a boundary. Upon them I shall pour out my fury just like water.

¹¹ Eʹphra·im is oppressed, crushed in justice, for he had taken it upon himself to walk after his adversary.^*1

¹² And I was like the moth^*1 to Eʹphra·im and just like rottenness to the house of Judah.

¹³ “And Eʹphra·im got to see his sickness, and Judah his ulcer. And Eʹphra·im proceeded to go to As·syrʹi·a and send to a great king.^*1 But that one himself was unable to give healing to YOU people, and he could not take from YOU an ulcer with any cure.

¹⁴ For I shall be like a young lion to Eʹphra·im and like a maned young lion to the house of Judah. I, I myself shall tear to pieces and I shall go [and] carry off, and there will be no deliverer.

¹⁵ I shall go, I will return to my place until they bear their guilt; and they will certainly seek my face. When they are in sore straits, they will seek me.”