1HEAR this, O priests; and give ear, O house of Israel; and listen, O house of the king; for the judgment is for you, because you have been a snare to prophets and a net spread upon Tabor.

2And the hunters who hunt have laid hidden snares, but I will chastise them all.

3I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me; for now Ephraim has committed whoredom, and Israel is defiled.

4Their evil devices will not permit them to turn to their God; for the spirit of whoredom is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD.

5And the pride of Israel shall be humbled before his presence; and Israel and Ephraim shall fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.

6They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him, because he has withdrawn himself from them.

7They have dealt falsely with the LORD, for they have begotten alien children.

8Blow the trumpet in Ramtha, blow the horn in Ramtha; cry aloud at Beth-aon; the enemy is after you, O Benjamin.

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

10The princes of Judah were like those who remove a landmark; therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.

11Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly went after vain things.

12Therefore I will be as a tempest to Ephraim, and to the house of Judah as a lion.

13When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wounds, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king; but he cannot heal you nor cure you of your wounds.

14For I will be to 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.

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