Judgment on Israel and Judah

“Hear this, O priests!

Take heed, O house of Israel!

Give ear, O royal house!

For this judgment is against you

because you have been a snare at Mizpah,

a net spread out on Tabor.

The rebels are deep in slaughter;

but I will chastise them all.

I know all about Ephraim,

and Israel is not hidden from Me.

For now, O Ephraim,

you have turned to prostitution;

Israel is defiled.

Their deeds do not permit them

to return to their God,

for a spirit of prostitution is within them,

and they do not know the LORD.

Israel’s arrogance testifies against them;

Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity;

even Judah stumbles with them.

They go with their flocks and herds

to seek the LORD,

but they do not find Him;

He has withdrawn Himself from them.

They have been unfaithful to the LORD;

for they have borne illegitimate children.

Now the New Moon will devour them

along with their land.

Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah,

the trumpet in Ramah;

raise the battle cry in Beth-aven:

Lead on, O Benjamin!

Ephraim will be laid waste

on the day of rebuke.

Among the tribes of Israel

I proclaim what is certain.

The princes of Judah

are like those who move boundary stones;

I will pour out My fury

upon them like water.

Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment,

for he is determined to follow worthless idols.

So I am like a moth to Ephraim,

and like decay to the house of Judah.

When Ephraim saw his sickness

and Judah his wound,

then Ephraim turned to Assyria

and sent to the great king.

But he cannot cure you

or heal your wound.

For I am like a lion to Ephraim

and like a young lion to the house of Judah.

I, even I, will tear them to pieces

and then go away.

I will carry them off

where no one can rescue them.

Then I will return to My place

until they admit their guilt and seek My face;

in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”