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Hosea 5-8
Amplified Bible
Hosea 5-8
Amplified Bible
The People’s Apostasy Rebuked
5 Hear this and pay close attention, O priests!
Give heed, O house of Israel!
Listen, O house of the king!
For the [pronounced] judgment pertains to you and is meant for you to hear,
Because you have been a snare at Mizpah
And a net spread out over Tabor (military strongholds on either side of the Jordan River).
2
The revolters have gone deep into depravity,
But I [the Lord God] will chastise them all.
3
I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me;
For now, O Ephraim, you have played the prostitute and have worshiped idols;
Israel has defiled itself.
4
Their [immoral] practices will not permit them
To return to their God,
For the spirit of prostitution is within them
And they do not know the Lord [they do not recognize, appreciate, heed or cherish Him].
5
But the pride and self-reliance of Israel testifies against him.
Therefore Israel, and [especially] [a]Ephraim, stumble and fall in their wickedness and guilt;
[b]Judah also has stumbled with them.
6
They will go with their flocks and with their herds
To seek the Lord [diligently searching for Him], but they will not find Him;
He has withdrawn from them [refusing to hear the prayers of the unrepentant].
7
They have dealt treacherously against the Lord,
For they have borne illegitimate (pagan) children.
Now the [c]New Moon will devour them along with their land [bringing judgment and captivity].
8
Blow the horn in Gibeah,
The trumpet in Ramah [the lofty hills on Benjamin’s northern border].
Sound the alarm at Beth-aven:
“Behind you and coming after you [is the enemy], O Benjamin [be on guard]!”
9
Ephraim will become a desolation in the day of rebuke;
Among the tribes of Israel I declare what is certain.
10
The princes of Judah are like those who [d]move a boundary marker;
I will pour out My wrath on them like [an unrestrained flood of] water.(A)
11
Ephraim is oppressed; he is broken and crushed by [divine] judgment,
Because he was determined to follow man’s command [e](vanities, filth, secular precepts).
12
Therefore I am like a moth to Ephraim
And like dry rot to the house of Judah [in My judgment against them].
13
When Ephraim saw his sickness,
And Judah his wound,
Then Ephraim went to Assyria [instead of the Lord]
And sent to [Assyria’s] great King Jareb [for help].
But he cannot heal you
Nor will he cure you of your wound [received in judgment].
14
For I will be like a lion to Ephraim
And like a young lion to the house of Judah.
I, even I, will tear to pieces and go on [tearing];
I will carry off [the prey] and there will be no one to rescue them.
15
I will go away and return to My place [on high]
Until they acknowledge their offense and bear their guilt and seek My face;
In their distress they will earnestly seek Me, saying,
The Response to God’s Rebuke
6 “Come and let us return [in repentance] to the Lord,
For He has torn us, but He will heal us;
He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.
2
“After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up
That we may live before Him.(B)
3
“So let us know and become personally acquainted with Him; let us press on to know and understand fully the [greatness of the] Lord [to honor, heed, and deeply cherish Him].
His appearing is prepared and is as certain as the dawn,
And He will come to us [in salvation] like the [heavy] rain,
Like the spring rain watering the earth.”
The Reply of the Lord
4
O Ephraim, what shall I do with you?
O Judah, what shall I do with you?
For your [wavering] loyalty and kindness are [transient] like the morning cloud
And like the dew that goes away early.
5
Therefore, I have hewn them in pieces by [the words of] the prophets;
I have slain them by the words of My mouth;
My judgments [pronounced upon them by the prophets] are like the light that shines forth [obvious to all].
6
For I desire and delight in [steadfast] loyalty [faithfulness in the covenant relationship], rather than sacrifice,
And in the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.(C)
7
But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant;
There they have dealt treacherously against Me.
8
Gilead is a city of wrongdoers;
It is tracked with bloody footprints.
9
And as bands of robbers [lie in] wait for a man,
So a band of priests murder on the road toward [f]Shechem [covering their crimes in that city of refuge];
Certainly they have committed crimes and outrages.
10
I have seen a horrible thing [sins of every kind] in the house of Israel!
Ephraim’s prostitution (idolatry) is there; Israel has defiled itself.
11
Also, O Judah, there is a harvest [of divine judgment] appointed for you,
When I restore the fortunes of My people [who have been slaves to the misery of sin].
Ephraim’s Sin
7 When I would heal Israel,
The sin (guilt) of Ephraim is uncovered,
And the wickedness of [g]Samaria,
Because they practice false dealing;
The thief enters,
Bandits ravage and raid outside.
2
But they do not consider in their hearts (minds)
That I remember [always] all their wickedness.
Now their deeds surround and entangle them;
They are before My face.
3
They make the king glad with their wickedness,
And the princes with their lies.
4
They are all adulterers;
Like the heat of an oven
When the baker ceases to stir the fire, [their passion smolders]
From the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.
5
On the [special] day of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine;
The king stretched out his hand [in association] with scoffers (lawless people).
6
As they approach their plotting,
Their mind burns [with intrigue] like an oven [while they lie in wait].
Their anger smolders all night;
In the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
7
They are all hot like an oven
And they consume their judges (rulers);
All their kings have fallen.
There is no one among them who calls to Me.
8
Ephraim mixes himself with the [Gentile] nations [seeking favor with one country, then another];
Ephraim is a cake not turned [worthless; ready to be thrown away].
9
Strangers have devoured his strength,
Yet he does not know it;
Gray hairs are sprinkled on him,
Yet he does not know.
10
Though the pride of Israel testifies against him,
Yet they do not return [in repentance] to the Lord their God,
Nor seek nor search for nor desire Him [as essential] in spite of all this.
11
Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without heart or good sense;
They call to Egypt [for help], they go to Assyria.
12
When they go, I will spread My net over them;
I will bring them down like birds of the heavens [into Assyrian captivity].
I will chastise them in accordance with the proclamation (prophecy) to their congregation.(D)
13
Woe (judgment is coming) to them, for they have wandered away from Me!
Devastation is theirs, because they have rebelled and trespassed against Me!
I would redeem them, but they speak lies against Me.
14
They do not cry out to Me from their heart
When they wail on their beds [in unbelieving despair];
For the sake of grain and new wine they [h]assemble themselves [as if worshiping Baal];
They rebel against Me.
15
Although I trained and strengthened their arms [for victory over their enemies],
Yet they devise evil against Me.
16
They turn, but they do not turn upward to the Most High.
They are like a poorly crafted bow [that misses the mark];
Their princes shall fall by the sword
Because of the insolence of their tongue.
This will be cause for their mockery and disdain in the land of Egypt.
Israel Reaps the Whirlwind
8 Set the trumpet to your lips [announcing impending judgment]!
Like a [great] vulture the enemy comes against the house of the Lord,
Because they have broken My covenant
And transgressed and rebelled against My law.
2
Then they will cry out to Me,
“My God, we of Israel know You!”
3
Israel has rejected the good;
The enemy shall pursue him.
4
They set up kings, but not from Me [therefore without My blessing];
They have appointed princes, but I did not know it.
With their silver and their gold they made idols for themselves,
That they might be cut off.
5
He has rejected your [pagan] calf, O Samaria, saying,
“My wrath burns against them.”
How long will they be incapable of innocence?
6
For even this [loathsome calf] is from Israel.
A craftsman made it, so it is not God;
Surely the calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces and go up in flames.
7
For they sow the wind [in evil]
And they reap the whirlwind [in disaster].
The standing grain has no growth;
It yields no grain.
If it were to yield, strangers would swallow it up.
8
Israel is [as if] swallowed up [by enemies];
They are now among the nations
Like a vessel [of cheap, coarse pottery] that is useless.
9
For they have gone up to Assyria,
Like a wild donkey wandering alone and taking her own way;
Ephraim has hired lovers (pagan allies).
10
Yes, even though [with presents] they hire allies among the nations,
Now I will gather them up;
And [in a little while] they will begin [i]to grow weak and diminish
Because of the burden imposed by the king of princes [the king of Assyria].
11
For Ephraim has constructed many altars for sin;
They are altars intended for sinning [which multiply his guilt].
12
I wrote for him the ten thousand precepts of My law,
But they are regarded as a strange thing [which does not concern him].
13
As for My sacrificial offerings,
They sacrifice the meat [as a mere formality] and eat it,
But the Lord is not pleased with them and does not accept them.
Now He will remember and take into account their wickedness and guilt,
And punish them for their sins.
They will return [in captivity] to [another] Egypt [that is, Assyria].(E)
14
For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces [and pagan temples],
And Judah has built many fortified cities;
But I will send a fire upon their cities so that it may consume their palaces and fortresses.(F)
Footnotes
- Hosea 5:5 Ephraim was the most dominant of the ten tribes in the Kingdom of Israel, and this and other economic factors led to Ephraim becoming a synonym for the entire Northern Kingdom.
- Hosea 5:5 The Southern Kingdom or Kingdom of Judah consisted primarily of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. After the united kingdom divided, Judah continued to be ruled by the kings of the Davidic line. Jerusalem was the capital city of Judah.
- Hosea 5:7 Instead of a celebration, judgment would occur at the time of the New Moon Festival; 2:11.
- Hosea 5:10 I.e. like an official changing the laws of what is right and what is wrong by changing the legal standards.
- Hosea 5:11 “Vanities” is the rendering of The Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament); “filth,” the rendering of the DSS.
- Hosea 6:9 Shechem was the first capital city of the Kingdom of Israel.
- Hosea 7:1 Samaria became the capital city of the Kingdom of Israel (the ten northern tribes) during the reign of King Omri (see 1 Kin 16:24).
- Hosea 7:14 Or with Greek and many ancient mss gash themselves.
- Hosea 8:10 Lit to be small.
Hosea 5-8
New International Version
Hosea 5-8
New International Version
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)”
Israel Unrepentant
6 “Come, let us return(AS) to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces(AT)
but he will heal us;(AU)
he has injured us
but he will bind up our wounds.(AV)
2 After two days he will revive us;(AW)
on the third day(AX) he will restore(AY) us,
that we may live in his presence.
3 Let us acknowledge the Lord;
let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,(AZ)
like the spring rains that water the earth.(BA)”
4 “What can I do with you, Ephraim?(BB)
What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist,
like the early dew that disappears.(BC)
5 Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets,
I killed you with the words of my mouth(BD)—
then my judgments go forth like the sun.[d](BE)
6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,(BF)
and acknowledgment(BG) of God rather than burnt offerings.(BH)
7 As at Adam,[e] they have broken the covenant;(BI)
they were unfaithful(BJ) to me there.
8 Gilead is a city of evildoers,(BK)
stained with footprints of blood.
9 As marauders lie in ambush for a victim,(BL)
so do bands of priests;
they murder(BM) on the road to Shechem,
carrying out their wicked schemes.(BN)
10 I have seen a horrible(BO) thing in Israel:
There Ephraim is given to prostitution,
Israel is defiled.(BP)
11 “Also for you, Judah,
a harvest(BQ) is appointed.
“Whenever I would restore the fortunes(BR) of my people,
7 1 whenever I would heal Israel,
the sins of Ephraim are exposed
and the crimes of Samaria revealed.(BS)
They practice deceit,(BT)
thieves break into houses,(BU)
bandits rob in the streets;(BV)
2 but they do not realize
that I remember(BW) all their evil deeds.(BX)
Their sins engulf them;(BY)
they are always before me.
3 “They delight the king with their wickedness,
the princes with their lies.(BZ)
4 They are all adulterers,(CA)
burning like an oven
whose fire the baker need not stir
from the kneading of the dough till it rises.
5 On the day of the festival of our king
the princes become inflamed with wine,(CB)
and he joins hands with the mockers.(CC)
6 Their hearts are like an oven;(CD)
they approach him with intrigue.
Their passion smolders all night;
in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
7 All of them are hot as an oven;
they devour their rulers.
All their kings fall,(CE)
and none of them calls(CF) on me.
8 “Ephraim mixes(CG) with the nations;
Ephraim is a flat loaf not turned over.
9 Foreigners sap his strength,(CH)
but he does not realize it.
His hair is sprinkled with gray,
but he does not notice.
10 Israel’s arrogance testifies against him,(CI)
but despite all this
he does not return(CJ) to the Lord his God
or search(CK) for him.
11 “Ephraim is like a dove,(CL)
easily deceived and senseless—
now calling to Egypt,(CM)
now turning to Assyria.(CN)
12 When they go, I will throw my net(CO) over them;
I will pull them down like the birds in the sky.
When I hear them flocking together,
I will catch them.
13 Woe(CP) to them,
because they have strayed(CQ) from me!
Destruction to them,
because they have rebelled against me!
I long to redeem them
but they speak about me(CR) falsely.(CS)
14 They do not cry out to me from their hearts(CT)
but wail on their beds.
They slash themselves,[f] appealing to their gods
for grain and new wine,(CU)
but they turn away from me.(CV)
15 I trained(CW) them and strengthened their arms,
but they plot evil(CX) against me.
16 They do not turn to the Most High;(CY)
they are like a faulty bow.(CZ)
Their leaders will fall by the sword
because of their insolent(DA) words.
For this they will be ridiculed(DB)
in the land of Egypt.(DC)
Israel to Reap the Whirlwind
8 “Put the trumpet(DD) to your lips!
An eagle(DE) is over the house of the Lord
because the people have broken my covenant(DF)
and rebelled against my law.(DG)
2 Israel cries out to me,
‘Our God, we acknowledge you!’
3 But Israel has rejected what is good;
an enemy will pursue him.(DH)
4 They set up kings without my consent;
they choose princes without my approval.(DI)
With their silver and gold
they make idols(DJ) for themselves
to their own destruction.
5 Samaria, throw out your calf-idol!(DK)
My anger burns against them.
How long will they be incapable of purity?(DL)
6 They are from Israel!
This calf—a metalworker has made it;
it is not God.(DM)
It will be broken in pieces,
that calf(DN) of Samaria.(DO)
7 “They sow the wind
and reap the whirlwind.(DP)
The stalk has no head;
it will produce no flour.(DQ)
Were it to yield grain,
foreigners would swallow it up.(DR)
8 Israel is swallowed up;(DS)
now she is among the nations
like something no one wants.(DT)
9 For they have gone up to Assyria(DU)
like a wild donkey(DV) wandering alone.
Ephraim has sold herself to lovers.(DW)
10 Although they have sold themselves among the nations,
I will now gather them together.(DX)
They will begin to waste away(DY)
under the oppression of the mighty king.
11 “Though Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings,
these have become altars for sinning.(DZ)
12 I wrote for them the many things of my law,
but they regarded them as something foreign.(EA)
13 Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to me,
and though they eat(EB) the meat,
the Lord is not pleased with them.(EC)
Now he will remember(ED) their wickedness
and punish their sins:(EE)
They will return to Egypt.(EF)
14 Israel has forgotten(EG) their Maker(EH)
and built palaces;
Judah has fortified many towns.
But I will send fire on their cities
that will consume their fortresses.”(EI)
Footnotes
- Hosea 5:7 Or Now their New Moon feasts / will devour them and
- Hosea 5:8 Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God).
- Hosea 5:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Hosea 6:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
- Hosea 6:7 Or Like Adam; or Like human beings
- Hosea 7:14 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts They gather together
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