1Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor. 2And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all.5.2 though: or, and5.2 a rebuker: Heb. a correction 3I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled. 4They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD.5.4 They will…: or, Their doings will not suffer them5.4 frame: Heb. give 5And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them. 6They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them. 7They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.
8Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Beth-aven, after thee, O Benjamin. 9Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be. 10The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water. 11Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment. 12Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.5.12 rottenness: or, a worm 13When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.5.13 king Jareb: or, the king of Jareb: or, the king that should plead 14For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.
15¶ I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.5.15 acknowledge…: Heb. be guilty
Judgment Against Israel
1“Hear this, you priests!
Pay attention, you Israelites!
Listen, royal house!
This judgment is against you:
You have been a snare at Mizpah,
a net spread out on Tabor.
2The rebels are knee-deep in slaughter.
I will discipline all of them.
3I know all about Ephraim;
Israel is not hidden from me.
Ephraim, you have now turned to prostitution;
Israel is corrupt.
4“Their deeds do not permit them
to return to their God.
A spirit of prostitution is in their heart;
they do not acknowledge the Lord.
5Israel’s arrogance testifies against them;
the Israelites, even Ephraim, stumble in their sin;
Judah also stumbles with them.
6When they go with their flocks and herds
to seek the Lord,
they will not find him;
he has withdrawn himself from them.
7They are unfaithful to the Lord;
they give birth to illegitimate children.
When they celebrate their New Moon feasts,
he will devour5:7 Or Now their New Moon feasts / will devour them and their fields.
8“Sound the trumpet in Gibeah,
the horn in Ramah.
Raise the battle cry in Beth Aven5:8 Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God).;
lead on, Benjamin.
9Ephraim will be laid waste
on the day of reckoning.
Among the tribes of Israel
I proclaim what is certain.
10Judah’s leaders are like those
who move boundary stones.
I will pour out my wrath on them
like a flood of water.
11Ephraim is oppressed,
trampled in judgment,
intent on pursuing idols.5:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
12I am like a moth to Ephraim,
like rot to the people of Judah.
13“When Ephraim saw his sickness,
and Judah his sores,
then Ephraim turned to Assyria,
and sent to the great king for help.
But he is not able to cure you,
not able to heal your sores.
14For I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
like a great lion to Judah.
I will tear them to pieces and go away;
I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them.
15Then I will return to my lair
until they have borne their guilt
and seek my face—
in their misery
they will earnestly seek me.”
