LUX VERITAS

Old Testament · Chapter 5 of 14

Hosea 5

Hoshea

Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment {is} toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.

2And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I {have been} a rebuker of them all. {though: or, and} {a rebuker: Heb. a correction}

3I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, {and} Israel is defiled.

4They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms {is} in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD. {They will...: or, Their doings will not suffer them} {frame: Heb. give}

5And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.

6They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find {him}; he hath withdrawn himself from them.

7They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.

8Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, {and} the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud {at} Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin.

9Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.

10The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: {therefore} I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.

11Ephraim {is} oppressed {and} broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.

12Therefore {will} I {be} unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness. {rottenness: or, a worm}

13When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah {saw} his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound. {king Jareb: or, the king of Jareb: or, the king that should plead}

14For I {will be} unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, {even} I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue {him}.

15I will go {and} return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. {acknowledge...: Heb. be guilty}

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About Hosea

God tells the prophet to marry an unfaithful woman so that Israel may understand what it has done. The most painful metaphor in Hebrew prophecy.