Hosea 5

Judgment on Israel and Judah

¹ “Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O royal house! For this judgment is against you because you have been a snare at Mizpah, a net spread out on Tabor.

² The rebels are deep in slaughter; but I will chastise them all.

³ I know all about Ephraim,¹ and Israel is not hidden from Me. For now, O Ephraim, you have turned to prostitution; Israel is defiled.

⁴ Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God, for a spirit of prostitution is within them, and they do not know the LORD.

⁵ Israel’s arrogance testifies against them; Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; even Judah stumbles with them.

⁶ They go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, but they do not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.

⁷ They have been unfaithful to the LORD; for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the New Moon ² will devour them along with their land.

⁸ Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; raise the battle cry in Beth-aven:³ Lead on, O Benjamin!

⁹ Ephraim will be laid waste on the day of rebuke. Among the tribes of Israel I proclaim what is certain.

¹⁰ The princes of Judah are like those who move boundary stones;⁴ I will pour out My fury upon them like water.

¹¹ Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, for he is determined to follow worthless idols.⁵

¹² So I am 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 turned to Assyria and sent to the great king.⁶ But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.

¹⁴ For I am like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them to pieces and then go away. I will carry them off where no one can rescue them.

¹⁵ Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”