God's Judgment on Israel and Judah

1Hear you this, O priests; and listen, you house of Israel; and give you ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because you have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread on Tabor.

2And the rebels are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all.

3I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, you commit prostitution, and Israel is defiled.

4They will not frame their doings to turn to their God: for the spirit of prostitutions is in the middle of them, and they have not known the LORD.

5And the pride of Israel does testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity: Judah also shall fall with them.

6They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he has withdrawn himself from them.

7They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.

8Blow you the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after you, O Benjamin.

9Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.

10The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath on them like water.

11Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.

12Therefore will I be to Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.

13When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.

14For I will be to Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.

15I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.