Judgment on Israel and Judah

1O ye priestes heare this, take heede O thou housholde of Israel, geue eare O thou house of the king, for iudgement is against you, because you are become as a snare on Mizphah, and a spread net vpon the mount of Thabor.

2They kyll sacrifices by heapes, and turne farre from the Lord, and I haue ben a rebuker of them all.

3I knowe Ephraim well inough, and Israel is not hid fro me: for nowe O Ephraim thou art become an harlot, and Israel is defiled.

4They wyll not geue their myndes to turne vnto their God: for the spirite of fornication is in the middest of them, and they haue not knowen the Lorde.

5And the pryde of Israel doth testifie to his face: therefore both Israel and Ephraim shal fal for their wickednesse, and Iuda with them also.

6They shall come with their sheepe and bullockes to seeke the Lorde, but they shall not finde hym: for he is gone from them.

7They haue transgressed against the Lorde, and brought vp bastarde chyldren: a moneth therefore shall deuour them, with their portions.

8Blowe with the shawmes at Gibea, and with the trumpet in Ramah, crye out at Bethauen, after thee O Beniamin.

9In the tyme of the plague shall Ephraim be layde waste: in the tribes of Israel haue I shewed the trueth.

10The princes of Iuda haue ben lyke them that remoue the lande markes: therefore wyll I powre out my wrath vpon them like water.

11Ephraim is oppressed and broken in iudgement, because he wyllyngly folowed the commaundement.

12Therefore wyll I be vnto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Iuda as a caterpiller.

13When Ephraim sawe his sicknesse, and Iuda his disease, Ephraim went vnto Assur, and sent vnto kyng Iareb, yet coulde not he helpe you, nor ease you of your payne.

14I wyll be vnto Ephraim as a lion, and as a lions whelpe to the house of Iuda: I euen I wyll spoyle, and go my away: I wyll take away, and no man shall rescue.

15I wyll go and returne to my place, tyll they knowledge that they haue sinned and seeke me. In their aduersitie they shall early seeke me.