Hosea Announces Israel's Punishment

1Rejoice not, O Israel, neither make merry, as other nations: for thou hast gone a-whoring from thy God; thou hast loved gifts upon every threshing-floor.

2The threshing-floor and wine-press knew them not, and the wine disappointed them.

3They dwelt not in the Lord's land: Ephraim dwelt in Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things among the Assyrians.

4They have not offered wine to the Lord, neither have their sacrifices been sweet to him, but as the bread of mourning to them; all that eat them shall be defiled; for their bread for their soul shall not enter into the house of the Lord.

5What will ye do in the day of the general assembly, and in the day of the feast of the Lord?

6Therefore, behold, they go forth from the trouble of Egypt, and Memphis shall receive them, and Machmas shall bury them: as for their silver, destruction shall inherit it; thorns shall be in their tents.

7The days of vengeance are come, the days of thy recompense are come; and Israel shall be afflicted as the prophet that is mad, as a man deranged: by reason of the multitude of thine iniquities thy madness has abounded.

8The watchman of Ephraim was with God: the prophet is a crooked snare in all his ways: they have established madness in the house of God.

9They have corrupted themselves according to the days of the hill: he will remember their iniquities, he will take vengeance on their sins.

10I found Israel as grapes in the wilderness, and I saw their fathers as an early watchman in a fig-tree: they went in to Beel-phegor, and were shamefully estranged, and the abominable became as the beloved.

11Ephraim has flown away as a bird; their glories from the birth, and the travail, and the conception.

12For even if they should rear their children, yet shall they be utterly bereaved: wherefore also there is woe to them, though my flesh is of them.

13Ephraim, even as I saw, gave their children for a prey; yea, Ephraim was ready to bring out his children to slaughter.

14Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give them? a miscarrying womb, and dry breasts.

15All their wickedness is in Galgal: for there I hated them: because of the wickedness of their practices, I will cast them out of my house, I will not love them any more: all their princes are disobedient.

16Ephraim is sick, he is dried up at his roots, he shall in no wise any more bear fruit: wherefore even if they should beget children, I will kill the desired fruit of their womb.

17God shall reject them, because they have not hearkened to him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.