1 H ear this, O priests! Give heed, O house of Israel! Listen, O house of the king! For the judgment applies to you, For you have been a snare at Mizpah And a net spread out on 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 have gone deep in depravity, But I will chastise all of them.

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 hidden from Me; For now, O Ephraim, you have played the harlot, Israel has defiled itself.

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 deeds will not allow them To return to their God. For a spirit of harlotry is within them, And they do not know 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 M oreover, the pride of Israel testifies against him, And Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; Judah also has stumbled 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6 T hey will go with their flocks and herds To seek the Lord, but they will not find Him; He has withdrawn from them.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 treacherously against the Lord, For they have borne illegitimate children. Now the new moon will devour them with their land.

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, The trumpet in Ramah. Sound an alarm at Beth-aven: “ Behind you, 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 will become a desolation in the day of rebuke; Among the tribes of Israel I declare what is sure.

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 have become like those who move a boundary; On them I will pour out My wrath 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, crushed in judgment, Because he was determined to follow man’s command.

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 rottenness 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 his wound, Then Ephraim went to Assyria And sent to King Jareb. But he is unable to heal you, Or to 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 like a lion to Ephraim And like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear to pieces and go away, I will carry away, and there will be none 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 go away and return to My place Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.

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.”