Hosea 5

Impending Judgment on Israel and Judah

1 "Hear this, O priests!

Take heed, O house of Israel!

Give ear, O house of the king!

For yours is the judgment,

Because *Hos. 6:9you have been a snare to Mizpah

And a net spread on Tabor.

2 The revolters are *Is. 29:15; Hos. 4:2; 6:9deeply involved in slaughter,

Though I rebuke them all.

3 *Amos 3:2; 5:12I know Ephraim,

And Israel is not hidden from Me;

For now, O Ephraim, *Hos. 4:17you commit harlotry;

Israel is defiled.

4 "They do not direct their deeds

Toward turning to their God,

For *Hos. 4:12the spirit of harlotry is in their midst,

And they do not know the Lord.

5 The *Hos. 7:10pride of Israel testifies to his face;

Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity;

Judah also stumbles with them.

6 "With their flocks and herds

*Prov. 1:28; Is. 1:15; Jer. 11:11; Ezek. 8:18; Mic. 3:4; John 7:34They shall go to seek the Lord,

But they will not find Him;

He has withdrawn Himself from them.

7 They have *Is. 48:8; Jer. 3:20; Hos. 6:7dealt treacherously with the Lord,

For they have begotten pagan children.

Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage.

8 "Blow*Hos. 8:1; Joel 2:1 the ram’s horn in Gibeah,

The trumpet in Ramah!

*Is. 10:30Cry aloud at*Josh. 7:2Beth Aven,

‘Look behind you, O Benjamin!’

9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke;

Among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure.

10 "The princes of Judah are like those who *Deut. 19:14; 27:17remove a landmark;

I will pour out My wrath on them like water.

11 Ephraim is *Deut. 28:33oppressed and broken in judgment,

Because he willingly walked by *Mic. 6:16human precept.

12 Therefore I willbe to Ephraim like a moth,

And to the house of Judah *Prov. 12:4like rottenness.

13 "When Ephraim saw his sickness,

And Judah saw his *Jer. 30:12–15wound,

Then Ephraim went *2 Kin. 15:19; Hos. 7:11; 10:6to Assyria

And sent to King Jareb;

Yet he cannot cure you,

Nor heal you of your wound.

14 For *Ps. 7:2; Lam. 3:10; Hos. 13:7, 8I willbe like a lion to Ephraim,

And like a young lion to the house of Judah.

*Ps. 50:22I, even I, will tear them and go away;

I will take them away, and no one shall rescue.

15 I will return again to My place

Till they acknowledge their offense.

Then they will seek My face;

In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me."