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The Lord will punish Israel

9 People of Israel, do not shout with joy,
as the people of other nations do at their festivals.
You have not been faithful to me, your God.
Like a prostitute, you sell yourselves to foreign gods
that you worship on the threshing floors.
2 But the threshing floors will not provide enough grain to feed the people.
The winepresses will not give them enough new wine.
3 The Israelites will not remain in the Lord 's land.
They will have to return to Egypt.
In Assyria, they will have to eat food that is unclean.
4 They will not pour out wine as an offering to the Lord .
Their sacrifices will not please him.
Instead, their offerings will be like food that people eat at a funeral.
Anyone who eats it becomes unclean.
They may eat the food to feed themselves,
but they cannot offer it to the Lord in his temple.
5 So what will you do on your festival days?
You will no longer be able to worship the Lord properly.

6 Listen! Perhaps some Israelites will escape when Assyria's army attacks.
But then Egypt's army will take hold of them.
They will die in Memphis and people will bury them there. [ a ]
Weeds will grow all over their valuable silver things.
Thorn bushes will grow in their homes.
7 The time for Israel's punishment has arrived!
The Lord must now pay them back for their sins.
The Israelites will soon know about it!

You do many sins and you hate the Lord .
Because of that, you say that his prophets are fools.
You think that his messengers are crazy.
8 God has sent his prophet to warn the people of Ephraim. [ b ]
But wherever he goes, people try to stop him.
They speak angry words against him, even in the temple of his God.
9 The Israelites do very wicked things,
like the terrible sins that they did at Gibeah. [ c ]
God will not forget the wicked things that they have done.
He will surely punish them for their sins.

The Lord warns his people

10 The Lord says,

‘When I first found Israel, they gave me pleasure.
It was as if I had found grapes in the wilderness.
Your ancestors made me happy,
like the first fruit on a young fig tree. [ d ]
But then they came to the god, Baal-Peor. [ e ]
They began to worship that disgusting idol.
They became as disgusting as the idol that they loved so much.
11 The great things that Israel enjoys will soon disappear.
They will be like birds that fly away!
The women of Israel will no longer give birth to children.
They will not even become pregnant.
12 But even if they do have children,
I will cause them all to die so that none are still alive.
It will be a terrible time for the Israelites,
because I will turn away from them.
13 At one time, I saw that Ephraim's land was a beautiful place, like Tyre.
But now Ephraim's people must bring out their children
for an enemy to kill them.’

14 Lord , what should I ask you to give to these people?
Make it impossible for their women to give birth!
Stop the milk from their breasts to feed their babies!

15 The Lord says,

‘They started to do evil things at Gilgal. [ f ]
It was there that I began to hate them.
Because they do evil things, I will chase them out of my land.
I will not love them any more.
Their leaders have all turned against me.
16 Ephraim's people are very sick.
They are like a plant that has dry roots
and it gives no fruit.
Even if they give birth to children that they love very much,
I will kill those children.’

17 My God will not accept them as his people,
because they have not obeyed him.
They will have no home of their own.
They will have to live among different nations.

Footnotes

  1. 9:6 Memphis was a city in Egypt.
  2. 9:8 Perhaps Hosea is talking about himself as the prophet that God has sent to warn his people. Ephraim is another name for Israel, the northern kingdom.
  3. 9:9 Gibeah is where very bad things happened. See Judges 19—20 .
  4. 9:10 A fig is a kind of fruit.
  5. 9:10 Israel's people did bad things when they worshipped the false god, Baal-Peor. See Numbers 25:1-5 .
  6. 9:15 Gilgal was across the Jordan River from the god, Baal-Peor. It was an important place where people worshipped other gods. See Amos 4:4 ; 5:5 .

The Sadness of Exile

9 Israel, don’t celebrate like the nations do. Don’t be happy. You acted like a prostitute and left your God. You committed your sexual sin [ a ] on every threshing floor. 2 But the grain from those threshing floors will not provide enough food for Israel. There will not be enough wine for Israel.

3 The Israelites will not stay in the Lord ’s land. Ephraim will return to Egypt. In Assyria they will eat food that they should not eat. 4 They will not be able to give offerings of wine to the Lord . None of their sacrifices will please him. What they offer will be like food eaten at a funeral—whoever eats it will become unclean. They can eat that food for their own hunger, but it cannot be taken into the Lord’s Temple. 5 They will not be able to celebrate the Lord ’s feasts or festivals. [ b ]

6 The people of Israel left because the enemy took everything from them. But Egypt will take the people themselves. Memphis [ c ] will bury them. Weeds will grow over their silver treasures, and thorns will grow where the Israelites lived.

Israel Rejected the True Prophets

7 The prophet says, “Israel, learn this: The time of punishment has come. The time has come for you to pay for the evil things you did.” But the people of Israel say, “The prophet is a fool. This man with God’s Spirit is crazy.” The prophet says, “You will be punished for your terrible sins. You will be punished for your hate.” 8 God and the prophet are like guards watching over Ephraim, but there are many traps along his way. And people hate the prophet, even in the house of his God.

9 The Israelites have gone deep into ruin as in the time of Gibeah. God will remember the Israelites’ sins, and he will punish them.

Israel Is Ruined by Its Worship of Idols

10 “At the time I, the Lord, found Israel, they were like fresh grapes in the desert. They were like the first figs on a fig tree at the beginning of the season. But when they came to Baal Peor, [ d ] they changed. So I had to cut them off like rotten fruit. [ e ] They became like the terrible things that they loved.

The Israelites Will Have No Children

11 “Like a bird, Ephraim’s glory will fly away. There will be no more pregnancies, no more births, and no more babies. 12 But even if the Israelites do raise their children, it will not help, because I will take the children away from them. I will leave them, and they will have nothing but troubles.”

13 I can see that Ephraim is leading his children into a trap. Ephraim will lead his children out to the killer. 14 Lord , give them what you will. Give them a womb that loses babies and breasts that cannot give milk.

15 All their evil is in Gilgal;
I began hating them there.
I will force them to leave my house
because of the evil things they do.
I will not love them anymore.
Their leaders are rebels who turned against me.
16 Ephraim will be punished.
Their root is dying.
They will not have any more babies.
They might give birth to babies,
but I will kill the precious babies who come from their bodies.
17 Those people will not listen to my God,
so he will refuse to listen to them.
And they will wander among the nations without a home.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 9:1 You committed your sexual sin This means the people were not faithful to God. But it also means the people had sexual relations with temple prostitutes. They believed their false gods would give them many children and good crops.
  2. Hosea 9:5 Literally, “What will you do for a day of solemn assembly, for the Lord ’s festival day?”
  3. Hosea 9:6 Memphis An important city in Egypt.
  4. Hosea 9:10 Baal Peor This happened when Moses was still leading the Israelites in the desert. Read Num. 25:1-5.
  5. Hosea 9:10 they changed … rotten fruit This is a wordplay that can also mean “they dedicated themselves to a shameful idol.”

9 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.

2 The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.

3 They shall not dwell in the Lord 's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.

4 They shall not offer wine offerings to the Lord , neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the Lord .

5 What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the Lord ?

6 For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.

7 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.

8 The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.

9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.

10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.

11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.

12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!

13 Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.

14 Give them, O Lord : what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.

16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb.

17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

Ephraim Punished

9 ( A ) Do not rejoice, Israel, [ a ] with jubilation like the [ b ] nations!
For you have ( B ) been unfaithful, [ c ] abandoning your God.
You have loved the earnings of unfaithfulness on [ d ] every threshing floor.
2 Threshing floor and wine press will ( C ) not feed them,
And the new wine will fail [ e ] them.
3 They will not remain in ( D ) the Lord ’ s land,
But Ephraim will return to ( E ) Egypt,
And in ( F ) Assyria they will eat ( G ) unclean food .
4 They will not pour out drink offerings of ( H ) wine to the Lord ,
( I ) Nor will [ f ] their sacrifices please Him.
Their bread will be to them like [ g ] mourners’ bread;
All who eat it will be ( J ) defiled,
Because their bread will be for [ h ] themselves alone ;
It will not enter the house of the Lord .
5 ( K ) What will you do on the day of the appointed festival
And on the day of the ( L ) feast of the Lord ?
6 For behold, they will be gone because of destruction;
Egypt will gather them together, ( M ) Memphis will bury them.
Weeds will take possession of their treasures of silver;
( N ) Thorns will be in their tents.

7 The days of ( O ) punishment have come,
The days of ( P ) retribution have come;
[ i ] Let Israel know this !
The prophet is a ( Q ) fool,
The [ j ] inspired person is ( R ) insane,
Because of the grossness of your ( S ) wrongdoing,
And because your [ k ] hostility is so great.
8 Ephraim was a watchman with my God, a prophet;
Yet the snare of a bird catcher is in all his ways,
And there is only [ l ] hostility in the house of his God.
9 They are ( T ) deeply depraved
As in the days of ( U ) Gibeah;
He will ( V ) remember their guilt,
He will punish their sins.

10 I found Israel like ( W ) grapes in the wilderness;
I saw your forefathers as the ( X ) earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season .
But they came to ( Y ) Baal-peor and devoted themselves to [ m ] ( Z ) shame,
And they became as ( AA ) detestable as that which they loved.
11 As for Ephraim, their ( AB ) glory will fly away like a bird—
No birth, no pregnancy, and no conception!
12 Though they bring up their children,
Yet I will bereave them of their children [ n ] until not a person is left.
Yes, ( AC ) woe to them indeed when I depart from them!
13 Ephraim, as I have seen,
Is planted in a pasture like ( AD ) Tyre;
But Ephraim is going to bring out his children for slaughter.
14 Give to them, Lord —what will You give?
Give them a ( AE ) miscarrying womb and dried-up breasts.

15 All their evil is at ( AF ) Gilgal;
Indeed, I came to hate them there!
Because of the ( AG ) wickedness of their deeds
I will drive them out of My house!
I will no longer love them;
All their leaders are ( AH ) rebels.
16 ( AI ) Ephraim is stricken, their root is dried up,
They will produce ( AJ ) no fruit.
Even though they give birth to children,
I will put to death the ( AK ) precious ones of their womb.
17 My God will reject them
Because they have ( AL ) not listened to Him;
And they will be ( AM ) wanderers among the nations.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 9:1 Lit to
  2. Hosea 9:1 Lit peoples
  3. Hosea 9:1 Lit away from your God
  4. Hosea 9:1 Lit all threshing floors of grain
  5. Hosea 9:2 Lit her
  6. Hosea 9:4 Or they offer to Him their
  7. Hosea 9:4 Lit bread of mourning
  8. Hosea 9:4 Lit their soul
  9. Hosea 9:7 Or Israel will know this
  10. Hosea 9:7 Lit man of the spirit
  11. Hosea 9:7 Or persecution
  12. Hosea 9:8 Or persecution
  13. Hosea 9:10 I.e., Baal
  14. Hosea 9:12 Lit without a person

Punishment for Israel

9 Do not rejoice, Israel;
do not be jubilant ( A ) like the other nations.
For you have been unfaithful ( B ) to your God;
you love the wages of a prostitute ( C )
at every threshing floor.
2 Threshing floors and winepresses will not feed the people;
the new wine ( D ) will fail them.
3 They will not remain ( E ) in the Lord ’s land;
Ephraim will return to Egypt ( F )
and eat unclean food in Assyria. ( G )
4 They will not pour out wine offerings ( H ) to the Lord ,
nor will their sacrifices please ( I ) him.
Such sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners; ( J )
all who eat them will be unclean. ( K )
This food will be for themselves;
it will not come into the temple of the Lord . ( L )

5 What will you do ( M ) on the day of your appointed festivals, ( N )
on the feast days of the Lord ?
6 Even if they escape from destruction,
Egypt will gather them, ( O )
and Memphis ( P ) will bury them. ( Q )
Their treasures of silver ( R ) will be taken over by briers,
and thorns ( S ) will overrun their tents.
7 The days of punishment ( T ) are coming,
the days of reckoning ( U ) are at hand.
Let Israel know this.
Because your sins ( V ) are so many
and your hostility so great,
the prophet is considered a fool, ( W )
the inspired person a maniac. ( X )
8 The prophet, along with my God,
is the watchman over Ephraim, [ a ]
yet snares ( Y ) await him on all his paths,
and hostility in the house of his God. ( Z )
9 They have sunk deep into corruption, ( AA )
as in the days of Gibeah. ( AB )
God will remember ( AC ) their wickedness
and punish them for their sins. ( AD )

10 “When I found Israel,
it was like finding grapes in the desert;
when I saw your ancestors,
it was like seeing the early fruit ( AE ) on the fig ( AF ) tree.
But when they came to Baal Peor, ( AG )
they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol ( AH )
and became as vile as the thing they loved.
11 Ephraim’s glory ( AI ) will fly away like a bird ( AJ ) —
no birth, no pregnancy, no conception. ( AK )
12 Even if they rear children,
I will bereave ( AL ) them of every one.
Woe ( AM ) to them
when I turn away from them! ( AN )
13 I have seen Ephraim, ( AO ) like Tyre,
planted in a pleasant place. ( AP )
But Ephraim will bring out
their children to the slayer.” ( AQ )

14 Give them, Lord —
what will you give them?
Give them wombs that miscarry
and breasts that are dry. ( AR )

15 “Because of all their wickedness in Gilgal, ( AS )
I hated them there.
Because of their sinful deeds, ( AT )
I will drive them out of my house.
I will no longer love them; ( AU )
all their leaders are rebellious. ( AV )
16 Ephraim ( AW ) is blighted,
their root is withered,
they yield no fruit. ( AX )
Even if they bear children,
I will slay ( AY ) their cherished offspring.”

17 My God will reject ( AZ ) them
because they have not obeyed ( BA ) him;
they will be wanderers among the nations. ( BB )

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 9:8 Or The prophet is the watchman over Ephraim, / the people of my God
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