1 H ear this, O you priests! And listen, O house of Israel! And give ear, O house of the king! For the judgment pronounced pertains to you and is meant for you, because you have been a snare at Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor.

“Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! For yours is the judgment, Because you have been a snare to Mizpah And a net spread on Tabor.

2 T he revolters are deeply sunk in corruption and slaughter, but I am a rebuke and a chastisement for them all.

The revolters are deeply involved in slaughter, Though I rebuke them all.

3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from Me; for now, O Ephraim, you have played the harlot and have worshiped idols; Israel is defiled.

I know Ephraim, And Israel is not hidden from Me; For now, O Ephraim, you commit harlotry; Israel is defiled.

4 T heir doings will not permit them to return to their God, for the spirit of harlotry is within them and they know not the Lord.

“They do not direct their deeds Toward turning to their God, For the spirit of harlotry is in their midst, And they do not know the Lord.

5 B ut the pride and self-reliance of Israel testifies before his face. Therefore shall Israel, and Ephraim, totter and fall in their iniquity and guilt, and Judah shall stumble and fall with them.

The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; Judah also stumbles with them.

6 T hey shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord, but they will not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.

“With their flocks and herds They shall go to seek the Lord, But they will not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.

7 T hey have dealt faithlessly and treacherously with the Lord, for they have borne alien children. Now shall a New Moon (one month) devour them with their fields.

They have dealt treacherously with the Lord, For they have begotten pagan children. Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage.

8 B low the horn in Gibeah and the trumpet in Ramah. Sound the alarm at Beth-aven: behind you and after you, O Benjamin!

“Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah, The trumpet in Ramah! Cry aloud at Beth Aven, ‘ Look behind you, O Benjamin!’

9 E phraim shall become a desolation in the day of rebuke and punishment. Among the tribes of Israel I declare what shall surely be.

Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke; Among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure.

10 T he princes of Judah are like those who remove the landmark; I will pour out My wrath upon them like water.

“The princes of Judah are like those who remove a landmark; I will pour out My wrath on them like water.

11 E phraim is oppressed; he is broken and crushed by judgment, because he was content to walk after idols (images) and man’s command ( vanities and filth ).

Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, Because he willingly walked by human precept.

12 T herefore I am like a moth to Ephraim and like dry rot to the house of Judah.

Therefore I will be to Ephraim like a moth, And to the house of Judah like rottenness.

13 W hen Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to great King Jareb. Yet he cannot heal you nor will he cure you of your wound.

“When Ephraim saw his sickness, And Judah saw his wound, Then Ephraim went to Assyria And sent to King Jareb; Yet he cannot cure you, Nor heal you of your wound.

14 F or I will be to Ephraim like a lion, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will rend and go on; I will carry off and there will be no one to deliver.

For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, And like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall rescue.

15 I will return to My place until they acknowledge their offense and feel their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction and distress they will seek, inquire for, and require Me earnestly, saying,

I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”