1 “ 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.

`Hear this, O priests, and attend, O house of Israel, And, O house of the king, give ear, For the judgment for you, For, a snare ye have been on Mizpah, And a net spread out on Tabor.

2 T he revolters are deeply involved in slaughter, Though I rebuke them all.

And to slaughter sinners have gone deep, And I a fetter to them all.

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

I have known Ephraim, And Israel hath not been hid from me, For now thou hast gone a-whoring, Ephraim, Defiled is Israel.

4 “ 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.

They give not up their habitual doings, To turn back unto their God, For a spirit of whoredoms in their midst, And Jehovah they have not known.

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

And humbled hath been the excellency of Israel to his face, And Israel and Ephraim stumble by their iniquity, Stumbled also hath Judah with them.

6 “ With their flocks and herds They shall go to seek the Lord, But they will not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.

With their flock and with their herd, They go to seek Jehovah, and do not find, He hath withdrawn from them.

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

Against Jehovah they dealt treacherously, For strange sons they have begotten, Now consume them doth a month their portions.

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

Blow ye a cornet in Gibeah, a trumpet in Ramah, Shout, O Beth-Aven, after thee, O Benjamin.

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

Ephraim is for a desolation in a day of reproof, Among the tribes of Israel I have made known a sure thing.

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

Princes of Judah have been as those removing a border, On them I do pour out as water My wrath.

11 E phraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, Because he willingly walked by human precept.

Oppressed is Ephraim, broken in judgment, When he pleased he went after the command.

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

And I as a moth to Ephraim, And as a rotten thing to the house of Judah.

13 “ 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.

And see doth Ephraim his sickness, and Judah his wound, And Ephraim goeth unto Asshur, And sendeth unto a warlike king, And he is not able to give healing to you, Nor doth he remove from you a scar.

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 them and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall rescue.

For I as a lion to Ephraim, And as a young lion to the house of Judah, I -- I tear and go, I bear away, and there is no deliverer.

15 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.”

I go -- I turn back unto My place, Till that they are desolate, and have sought My face. In their distress they do seek Me speedily!'