Hosea 5

5 ¹ Hear this, priests! Pay attention, house of Israel! Listen, house of the king! For the judgment is meant for you because you have been a snare at Mizpah and a net spread out on Tabor.

² The rebels have gone deep into slaughter but I will discipline all of them. ³ I know Ephraim and Israel is not hidden from me for now, Ephraim, you have prostituted yourself and Israel is defiled.

⁴ Their deeds will not let them return to their Father for a spirit of prostitution is within them and they do not know our Father. ⁵ The pride of Israel testifies against him Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity Judah also stumbles with them. ⁶ With their flocks and their herds they will go to seek our Father but they will not find him he has withdrawn from them. ⁷ They have dealt faithlessly with our Father for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the new moon will devour them along with their fields.

⁸ Blow the horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah. Sound the battle cry at Beth-aven look behind you, Benjamin! ⁹ Ephraim will become a desolation in the day of punishment among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure. ¹⁰ The princes of Judah have become like those who move a boundary stone on them I will pour out my wrath like water. ¹¹ Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment because he was intent on pursuing worthless idols. ¹² So I am like a moth to Ephraim and like dry rot to the house of Judah.

¹³ When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to the great king. But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound. ¹⁴ For I will be like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I myself will tear and go away I will carry off and no one will rescue. ¹⁵ I will go back again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face in their distress they will earnestly seek me.