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 religious leaders! Listen, O people of Israel! Listen, O family of the king! For you are to be judged. You have been a trap at Mizpah, and a net spread out on Tabor.

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

Those who will not obey have gone deep into sin, but I will punish all of them.

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 all about Ephraim. Israel is not hidden from Me. O Ephraim, you have acted like a woman who sells the use of her body. Israel has made itself unclean.

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.

Their wrong-doing will not allow them to return to their God. For a spirit of a woman who sells the use of her body is within them, 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 speaks against them. Israel and Ephraim fall in their sin, and Judah has fallen 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6 T hey shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord, but they will not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.

They will go with their flocks and cattle to look for the Lord, but they will not find Him. He has gone away 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 not been faithful to the Lord, for they have given birth to children who are not His. Now the new moon will destroy them with their land. War between Judah and Israel

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 horn in Gibeah and in Ramah! Let the sound of danger be heard at Beth-aven! Look behind you, 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 will be laid waste in the day of punishment. Among the family groups 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 leaders of Judah are like those who take away the land-marks. I will pour out My anger 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 ).

It is hard for Ephraim. He is crushed by punishment, because he wanted to follow what is of no worth.

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

So I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like a wasting disease to the people of Judah.

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 sore, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to King Jareb for help. But he is not able to cure you, or heal your sore.

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 people of Judah. I will tear them to pieces and go away. I will carry them away, with no one to take them.

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 go away and return to My place until they know they are guilty and look for Me. In their suffering they will try to find Me.”