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Hosea 5

God will punish Israel and Judah for their sins

5 ‘Listen to this, you priests! Listen carefully, you Israelites! Listen, you people of the royal family! You are guilty and you deserve punishment. You have caused trouble for people with your trap at Mizpah. You have caught people in your net at Tabor mountain. [ a ] 2 People have turned against me and they have murdered many people. So I will warn them all and I will punish them.

3 I know what the people of Ephraim are like. [ b ] The Israelites cannot hide their sins from me. You are no better than prostitutes! You can no longer serve me as my people. 4 Yes, the sins of the Israelites do not allow them to return to me, the Lord their God. They are not faithful to me and they love to worship idols. They do not want to know me. 5 The Israelites are proud of what they do, and that shows that they are guilty. Their sins cause them to fall into great trouble. That will happen to the people of Israel and Ephraim. And the people of Judah will fall with them.

6 They take their sheep and cows to offer as sacrifices to the Lord . They want the Lord to help them, but he does not answer them. They cannot find him because he has gone away from them. 7 They have turned against the Lord . Their children do not belong to him. They enjoy the new moon feast. But that will soon destroy them and the crops in their fields.’

War between Judah and Israel

8 ‘Make a noise with your horns in Gibeah!
Make a noise with your trumpets in Ramah!
Warn the people in Beth Aven of danger!
Men of Benjamin's tribe, prepare to fight! [ c ]
9 The day for Ephraim's punishment will soon come.
That will be the end of them!
I make this promise to all the tribes of Israel.
It will certainly happen!
10 The leaders of Judah are not honest.
They are like people who move the stones that show the edge of their land.
So I will punish them with my strong anger. [ d ]
11 Terrible trouble will come to Ephraim's people.
They will receive great punishment.
They deserve that because they chose to worship idols.
12 I will destroy the people of Ephraim,
as a moth eats cloth.
I will also destroy the people of Judah,
as ants destroy wood.
13 Ephraim's people knew that they were not well.
Judah's people knew that they had wounds.
Ephraim's leaders expected Assyria to help them.
They asked Assyria's great king for help.
But he is not able to make you well. [ e ]
He cannot make your wounds better.
14 I will attack Ephraim's people like a lion.
I will also attack Judah's people like a young lion.
I myself will tear them into pieces.
I will carry them away.
Nobody will be able to rescue them.
15 Then I will return to my place.
I will leave them to receive their full punishment.
When they have suffered enough, they will turn back to me.
They will want to serve me again.’

Footnotes

  1. 5:1 The leaders of Israel have caused trouble for their people. They have led them to worship false gods. It is like they have caught the people in a trap or a net.
  2. 5:3 Ephraim was the name that people used for the northern kingdom of Israel.
  3. 5:8 Gibeah, Ramah and Beth Aven were all near Jerusalem. Benjamin's tribe belonged to the kingdom of Judah in the south.
  4. 5:10 Hosea says that Judah's people have taken land that does not belong to them. To move stones that show the edge of someone's land was against God's laws. See Deuteronomy 19:14 .
  5. 5:13 Judah's people asked Assyria for help after Syria and Israel attacked them in 734 BC.

The Leaders Cause Israel and Judah to Sin

5 “Priests, nation [ a ] of Israel, and people in the king’s family, listen to me. You have been judged guilty!

“You were like a trap at Mizpah [ b ] and like a net spread on the ground at Tabor. [ c ] 2 You have done many evil things, [ d ] so I will punish you all. 3 I know Ephraim. I know what Israel has done. Ephraim, right now you act like a prostitute. Israel is dirty with sin. 4 The people of Israel have done many evil things, and these evil things keep them from coming back to their God. They are always thinking of ways to chase after other gods. They don’t know the Lord . 5 Israel’s pride is a witness against them, [ e ] so Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their sin. But Judah will also stumble with them.

6 “The leaders of the people went to look for the Lord . They took their sheep and cattle with them, but they did not find the Lord because he refused to accept them. 7 They have not been faithful to the Lord . Their children are from some stranger. And now, he will destroy them and their land again. [ f ]

A Prophecy of Israel’s Destruction

8 “Blow the horn in Gibeah.
Blow the trumpet in Ramah. [ g ]
Give the warning at Beth Aven.
The enemy is behind you, Benjamin.
9 Ephraim will become empty
at the time of punishment.
I, God, warn the families of Israel
that this really will happen.
10 The leaders of Judah are like thieves trying to steal someone’s property,
so I will pour out my anger on them like water.
11 Ephraim will be punished.
He will be crushed and pressed like grapes,
because he decided to follow filth.
12 I will destroy Ephraim as a moth eats a piece of cloth.
I will ruin Judah, like rot on a piece of wood.
13 Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound,
so they went to Assyria for help.
They told their problems to the great king,
but he cannot heal you or cure your wound.
14 I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
like a young lion to the nation of Judah.
I—yes, I myself—will rip them to pieces.
I will carry them away,
and no one can save them.
15 I will go back to my place,
until the people admit they are guilty,
until they come looking for me.
Yes, in their trouble they will try very hard to find me.”

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 5:1 nation Literally, “house.” This might mean the royal family of that country. Also in verse 14.
  2. Hosea 5:1 Mizpah A mountain in Israel. The people worshiped the false gods on many of the hills and mountains.
  3. Hosea 5:1 Tabor A mountain in Israel.
  4. Hosea 5:2 You … evil things The Hebrew text here is hard to understand. It seems to be a wordplay of some kind.
  5. Hosea 5:5 them Literally, “his face.”
  6. Hosea 5:7 And now … again The Hebrew text here is hard to understand.
  7. Hosea 5:8 Gibeah, Ramah Cities on Judah’s border with Israel.

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

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

3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.

4 They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

13 When 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.

14 For I will be unto 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.

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

The People’s Apostasy Rebuked

5 Hear this, you priests!
Pay attention, house of Israel!
Listen, you of the house of the king!
For the judgment applies to you,
Because you have been a ( A ) trap at Mizpah,
And a net spread out on Tabor.
2 And the ( B ) rebels have ( C ) gone deep in [ a ] depravity,
But I will discipline all of them.
3 I ( D ) know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me;
Because now, Ephraim, you have been unfaithful,
Israel has defiled itself.
4 Their deeds will not allow them
To return to their God.
For a ( E ) spirit of [ b ] infidelity is within them,
And they ( F ) do not know the Lord .
5 Moreover, the ( G ) pride of Israel testifies against him,
And Israel and Ephraim stumble in their wrongdoing;
( H ) Judah also has stumbled with them.
6 They will ( I ) go with their flocks and herds
To seek the Lord , but they will ( J ) not find Him ;
He has ( K ) withdrawn from them.
7 They have ( L ) dealt treacherously with the Lord ,
For they have given birth to [ c ] ( M ) illegitimate children.
Now the ( N ) new moon will devour them with their [ d ] land.

8 ( O ) Blow the horn in ( P ) Gibeah,
And the trumpet in Ramah.
Sound an alarm at Beth-aven:
“ ( Q ) Behind you, Benjamin!”
9 Ephraim will become a ( R ) desolation in the ( S ) day of rebuke;
Among the tribes of Israel I ( T ) make known what is trustworthy.
10 The leaders of Judah have become like those who ( U ) displace a boundary marker;
On them I will ( V ) pour out My anger ( W ) like water.
11 Ephraim is ( X ) oppressed, broken by judgment,
( Y ) Because he was determined to follow [ e ] man’s command.
12 Therefore I am like a ( Z ) moth to Ephraim,
And like rottenness to the house of Judah.
13 When Ephraim saw his sickness,
And Judah his [ f ] sore,
Ephraim then went to ( AA ) Assyria
And sent word to [ g ] ( AB ) King Jareb.
But he is ( AC ) unable to heal you,
Or to cure you of your [ h ] sore.
14 For I will be ( AD ) like a lion to Ephraim
And like a young lion to the house of Judah.
( AE ) I, yes I, will tear to pieces and go away,
I will carry away, and there will be ( AF ) no one to rescue.
15 I will go away and return to My place
Until they [ i ] ( AG ) acknowledge their guilt and seek My face;
In their distress they will ( AH ) search for Me.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 5:2 Or slaughter
  2. Hosea 5:4 Or prostitution
  3. Hosea 5:7 Lit strange
  4. Hosea 5:7 Lit portions
  5. Hosea 5:11 Or with some ancient versions, nothingness
  6. Hosea 5:13 Or ulcer
  7. Hosea 5:13 Or another reading is the great king ; or the contentious king
  8. Hosea 5:13 Or ulcer
  9. Hosea 5:15 Or suffer their punishment

Judgment Against Israel

5 “Hear this, you priests!
Pay attention, you Israelites!
Listen, royal house!
This judgment ( A ) is against you:
You have been a snare ( B ) at Mizpah,
a net ( C ) spread out on Tabor.
2 The rebels are knee-deep in slaughter. ( D )
I will discipline all of them. ( E )
3 I know all about Ephraim;
Israel is not hidden ( F ) from me.
Ephraim, you have now turned to prostitution;
Israel is corrupt. ( G )

4 “Their deeds do not permit them
to return ( H ) to their God.
A spirit of prostitution ( I ) is in their heart;
they do not acknowledge ( J ) the Lord .
5 Israel’s arrogance testifies ( K ) against them;
the Israelites, even Ephraim, stumble ( L ) in their sin;
Judah also stumbles with them. ( M )
6 When they go with their flocks and herds
to seek the Lord , ( N )
they will not find him;
he has withdrawn ( O ) himself from them.
7 They are unfaithful ( P ) to the Lord ;
they give birth to illegitimate ( Q ) children.
When they celebrate their New Moon feasts, ( R )
he will devour [ a ] ( S ) their fields.

8 “Sound the trumpet ( T ) in Gibeah, ( U )
the horn in Ramah. ( V )
Raise the battle cry in Beth Aven [ b ] ; ( W )
lead on, Benjamin.
9 Ephraim will be laid waste ( X )
on the day of reckoning. ( Y )
Among the tribes of Israel
I proclaim what is certain. ( Z )
10 Judah’s leaders are like those
who move boundary stones. ( AA )
I will pour out my wrath ( AB ) on them
like a flood of water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed,
trampled in judgment,
intent on pursuing idols. [ c ] ( AC )
12 I am like a moth ( AD ) to Ephraim,
like rot ( AE ) to the people of Judah.

13 “When Ephraim ( AF ) saw his sickness,
and Judah his sores,
then Ephraim turned to Assyria, ( AG )
and sent to the great king for help. ( AH )
But he is not able to cure ( AI ) you,
not able to heal your sores. ( AJ )
14 For I will be like a lion ( AK ) to Ephraim,
like a great lion to Judah.
I will tear them to pieces ( AL ) and go away;
I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them. ( AM )
15 Then I will return to my lair ( AN )
until they have borne their guilt ( AO )
and seek my face ( AP ) —
in their misery ( AQ )
they will earnestly seek me. ( AR ) ”

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 5:7 Or Now their New Moon feasts / will devour them and
  2. Hosea 5:8 Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God ).
  3. Hosea 5:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
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