Hosea 5

Judgment Against Israel’s Leaders

1 Hear this, priests. Pay attention, people of Israel. Listen up, house of the king. This judgment is on you, because you been a trap at Mizpah and a net spread out on Tabor.

2 The rebels are deep in their slaughter, but I see all of it and I am about to discipline them.

3 I know Ephraim, and Israel cannot hide from Me. Ephraim, you out here prostituting yourself, and Israel is contaminated.

4 Their actions will not let them come back to their God, because a spirit of prostitution is living in them, and they do not even know the LORD.

5 Israel’s pride testifies against them. Israel and Ephraim stumble in their guilt, and Judah stumbles right along with them.

6 They will come with their flocks and herds looking for the LORD, but they will not find Him, because He pulled away from them.

7 They betrayed the LORD, produced illegitimate children, and now destruction is going to hit them and everything they got.

The Day of Judgment

8 Blow the horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah. Sound the alarm in Beth Aven. Benjamin, watch your back.

9 Ephraim will be laid waste on the day of punishment. Among the tribes of Israel, I am making it clear what is about to happen.

10 The leaders of Judah acting like people who move boundary stones. I am going to pour out My anger on them like a flood.

11 Ephraim is crushed, beaten down by judgment, because they chose to follow worthless commands.

God’s Withdrawal

12 I am like rot to Ephraim, like decay to the house of Judah.

13 When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound, Ephraim ran to Assyria and sent to the great king for help. But he cannot heal you or fix your pain.

14 Because I will be like a lion to Ephraim, like a young lion to Judah. I will tear them up and walk away, carry them off and nobody can rescue them.

15 I will go back to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face. In their trouble, they will come looking for Me.