The Lord Judges Israel
1“Listen to me, you priests!
Pay attention, people of Israel!
Listen, you members of the royal family!
Here is my decision against you.
You have been like a trap at Mizpah.
You have been like a net spread out on Mount Tabor.
2You refuse to obey me.
You are knee-deep in killing.
So I will punish all of you.
3I know all about the people of Ephraim.
What Israel is doing is not hidden from me.
Now they have joined themselves to other gods.
They have made themselves ‘unclean.’
4“They can’t return to me
because they have done so many evil things.
In their hearts they long to act like prostitutes.
They do not recognize me as the Lord.
5Israel’s pride proves that they are guilty.
The people of Ephraim trip and fall because they have sinned.
Judah falls down along with them.
6Israel will come to worship the Lord.
They will bring their animals to offer as sacrifices.
But they will not find him.
He has turned away from them.
7They are not faithful to the Lord.
Their children are not his.
When they celebrate their New Moon feasts,
he will destroy their fields.
8“My people, blow trumpets in Gibeah!
Blow horns in Ramah!
Shout the battle cry in Bethel!
Say to the people of Benjamin, ‘Lead on into battle!’
9The people of Ephraim will be completely destroyed
when it is time for me to punish them.
They can be sure it will happen.
I am announcing it among their tribes.
10Judah’s leaders have stolen some land.
They have moved their borders farther north.
So I will pour out my anger on them
like a flood of water.
11Ephraim will soon be crushed.
The Assyrians will stomp all over them.
It will happen because they have made up their minds
to chase after other gods.
12I will be like a moth to Ephraim.
I will cause Judah to rot away.
13“The people of Ephraim saw how sick they were.
The people of Judah saw that they were wounded.
Then Ephraim turned to Assyria for help.
They sent gifts to the great King Tiglath-Pileser.
But he is not able to make you well.
He can’t heal your wounds.
14I will be like a lion to Ephraim.
I will attack Judah like a powerful lion.
I will tear them to pieces.
I will drag them off.
Then I will leave them.
No one will be able to save them.
15I will go back to my lion’s den.
I will stay there until they pay the price for their sin.
Then they will turn to me.
They will suffer so much
that they will really want me to help them.”
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.’
