Hosea 9-11

1Do not rejoice, O Israel, with exultation like the nations, for you have played the harlot against your God; you have made love for hire on every threshing floor.

2The threshing floor and winepress will not feed them, and the new wine will fail them.

3They will not remain in the land of the LORD; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.

4They will not pour out wine offerings to the LORD, and their sacrifices will not please Him, but will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat will be defiled. For their bread will be for themselves; it will not enter the house of the LORD.

5What will you do on the appointed day, on the day of the LORD’s feast?

6For even if they flee destruction, Egypt will gather them and Memphis will bury them. Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles, and thorns will overrun their tents.

7The days of punishment have come; the days of retribution have arrived— let Israel know it. The prophet is called a fool, and the inspired man insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and hostility.

8The prophet is Ephraim’s watchman, along with my God, yet the snare of the fowler lies on all his paths. Hostility is in the house of his God!

9They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah; He will remember their guilt; He will punish their sins.

10I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so they became as detestable as the thing they loved.

11Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird, with no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.

12Even if they raise their children, I will bereave them of each one. Yes, woe be to them when I turn away from them!

13I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a meadow. But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter.

14Give them, O LORD— what will You give? Give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that dry up!

15All their evil appears at Gilgal, for there I hated them. I will drive them from My house for the wickedness of their deeds. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious.

16Ephraim is struck down; their root is withered; they cannot bear fruit. Even if they bear children, I will slay the darlings of their wombs.

17My God will reject them because they have not obeyed Him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

1Israel was a luxuriant vine, yielding fruit for himself. The more his fruit increased, the more he increased the altars. The better his land produced, the better he made the sacred pillars.

2Their hearts are devious; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and demolish their sacred pillars.

3Surely now they will say, “We have no king, for we do not revere the LORD. What can a king do for us?”

4They speak mere words; with false oaths they make covenants. So judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.

5The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn over it with its idolatrous priests— those who rejoiced in its glory— for it has been taken from them into exile.

6Yes, it will be carried to Assyria as tribute to the great king. Ephraim will be seized with shame; Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols.

7Samaria will be carried off with her king like a twig on the surface of the water.

8The high places of Aven will be destroyed— it is the sin of Israel; thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

9Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel, and there you have remained. Did not the battle in Gibeah overtake the sons of iniquity?

10I will chasten them when I please; nations will be gathered against them to put them in bondage for their double transgression.

11Ephraim is a well-trained heifer that loves to thresh; but I will place a yoke on her fair neck. I will harness Ephraim, Judah will plow, and Jacob will break the hard ground.

12Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.

13You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your mighty men,

14the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be demolished as Shalman devastated Beth-arbel in the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces along with their children.

15Thus it will be done to you, O Bethel, because of your great wickedness. When the day dawns, the king of Israel will be utterly cut off.

1When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.

2But the more I called Israel, the farther they departed from Me. They sacrificed to the Baals and burned incense to carved images.

3It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms, but they never realized that it was I who healed them.

4I led them with cords of kindness, with ropes of love; I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them.

5Will they not return to the land of Egypt and be ruled by Assyria because they refused to repent?

6A sword will flash through their cities; it will destroy the bars of their gates and consume them in their own plans.

7My people are bent on turning from Me. Though they call to the Most High, He will by no means exalt them.

8How could I give you up, O Ephraim? How could I surrender you, O Israel? How could I make you like Admah? How could I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within Me; My compassion is stirred!

9I will not execute the full fury of My anger; I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God and not man— the Holy One among you— and I will not come in wrath.

10They will walk after the LORD; He will roar like a lion. When He roars, His children will come trembling from the west.

11They will come trembling like birds from Egypt and like doves from the land of Assyria. Then I will settle them in their homes, declares the LORD.

12Ephraim surrounds Me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One.