CSB

Hosea 5

1Hear this, priests!

Pay attention, house of Israel!

Listen, royal house!

For the judgment applies to you

because you have been a snare at Mizpah

and a net spread out on Tabor.

2Rebels are deeply involved in slaughter;

I will be a punishment for all of them.

3I know Ephraim,

and Israel is not hidden from me.

For now, Ephraim,

you have acted promiscuously;

Israel is defiled.

4Their actions do not allow them

to return to their God,

for a spirit of promiscuity is among them,

and they do not know the Lord.

5Israel’s arrogance testifies against them.

Both Israel and Ephraim stumble

because of their iniquity;

even Judah will stumble with them.

6They go with their flocks and herds

to seek the Lord

but do not find him;

he has withdrawn from them.

7They betrayed the Lord;

indeed, they gave birth to illegitimate children.

Now the New Moon will devour them

along with their fields.

8Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah,

the trumpet in Ramah;

raise the war cry in Beth-aven:

Look behind you, Benjamin!

9Ephraim will become a desolation

on the day of punishment;

I announce what is certain

among the tribes of Israel.

10The princes of Judah are like those

who move boundary markers;

I will pour out my fury on them like water.

11Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment,

for he is determined to follow what is worthless.

12So I am like rot to Ephraim

and like decay to the house of Judah.

13When Ephraim saw his sickness

and Judah his wound,

Ephraim went to Assyria

and sent a delegation to the great king.

But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.

14For I am like a lion to Ephraim

and like a young lion to the house of Judah.

Yes, I will tear them to pieces and depart.

I will carry them off,

and no one can rescue them.

15I will depart and return to my place

until they recognize their guilt and seek my face;

they will search for me in their distress.