Chapter 2
[1] Say to your brother, My people, and to your sister, Pitied. [2] Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband: and I will remove her fornication out of my presence, and her adultery from between her breasts: [3] that I may strip her naked, and make her again as she was at the day of her birth: and I will make her desolate, and make her as a dry land, and will kill her with thirst. [4] And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they are children of fornication. [5] And their mother went a-whoring: she that bore them disgraced them: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, and my garments, and my linen clothes, my oil and my necessaries.
[6] Therefore, behold, I hedge up her way with thorns, and I will stop the ways, and she shall not find her path. [7] And she shall follow after her lovers, and shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: and she shall say, I will go, and return to my former husband; for it was better with me than now.
[8] And she knew not that I gave her her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied silver to her: but she made silver and gold images for Baal. [9] Therefore I will return, and take away my corn in its season, and my wine in its time; and I will take away my raiment and my linen clothes, so that she shall not cover her nakedness. [10] And now I will expose her uncleanness before her lovers, and no one shall by any means deliver her out of my hand. [11] And I will take away all her gladness, her feasts, and her festivals at the new moon, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn assemblies. [12] And I will utterly destroy her vines, and her fig-trees, all things of which she said, These are my hire which my lovers have given me: and I will make them a testimony, and the wild beasts of the field, and the birds of the sky, and the reptiles of the earth shall devour them. [13] And I will recompense on her the days of Baalim, wherein she sacrificed to them, and put on her ear-rings, and her necklaces, and went after her lovers, and forgot me, saith the Lord.
[14] Therefore, behold, I will cause her to err, and will make her as desolate, and will speak comfortably to her. [15] And I will giver her possessions from thence, and the valley of Achor to open her understanding: and she shall be afflicted there according to the days of her infancy, and according to the days of her coming up out of the land of Egypt.
[16] And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that she shall call me, My husband, and shall no longer call me Baalim. [17] And I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and their names shall be remembered no more at all. [18] And I will make for them in that day a covenant with the wild beasts of the field, and with the birds of the sky, and with the reptiles of the earth: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle from off the earth, and will cause thee to dwell safely. [19] And I will betroth thee to myself for ever; yea, I will betroth thee to myself in righteousness, and in judgment, and in mercy, and in tender compassions; [20] and I will betroth thee to myself in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord.
[21] And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, I will hearken to the heaven, and it shall hearken to the earth; [22] and the earth shall hearken to the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hearken to Jezrael. [23] And I will sow her to me on the earth; and will love her that was not loved, and will say to that which was not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art the Lord my God.
Chapter 3
[1] And the Lord said to me, Go yet, and love a woman that loves evil things, an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, and they have respect to strange gods, and love cakes of dried grapes. [2] So I hired her to myself for fifteen pieces of silver, and a homer of barley, and a flagon of wine. [3] And I said unto her, Thou shalt wait for me many days; and thou shalt not commit fornication, neither shalt thou be for another man; and I will be for thee.
[4] For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an altar, and without a priesthood, and without manifestations. [5] And afterward shall the children of Israel return, and shall seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall be amazed at the Lord and at his goodness in the latter days.
Chapter 4
[1] Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. [2] Cursing, and lying, and murder, and theft, and adultery abound in the land, and they mingle blood with blood. [3] Therefore shall the land mourn, and shall be diminished with all that dwell in it, with the wild beasts of the field, and the reptiles of the earth, and with the birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea shall fail: [4] that neither any one may plead, nor any one reprove another; but my people are as a priest spoken against. [5] Therefore they shall fall by day, and the prophet with thee shall fall: I have compared thy mother unto night.
[6] My people are like as if they had no knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt not minister as priest to me: and as thou has forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children. [7] According to their multitude, so they sinned against me: I will turn their glory into shame. [8] They will devour the sins of my people, and will set their hearts on their iniquities. [9] And the priest shall be as the people: and I will avenge on them their ways, and I will recompense to them their counsels. [10] And they shall eat, and shall not be satisfied: they have gone a-whoring, and shall by no means prosper: because they have left off to take heed to the Lord.
[11] The heart of my people has gladly engaged in fornication and wine and strong drink. [12] They asked counsel by means of signs, and they reported answer to them by their staves: they have gone astray in a spirit of whoredom, and gone grievously a-whoring from their God. [13] They have sacrificed on the tops of the mountains, and on the hills they have sacrificed under the oak and poplar, and under the shady tree, because the shade was good: therefore your daughters shall go a-whoring, and your daughters-in-law shall commit adultery. [14] And I will not visit upon your daughters when they shall commit fornication, nor your daughters-in-law when they shall commit adultery: for they themselves mingled themselves with harlots, and sacrificed with polluted ones, and the people that understood not entangled itself with a harlot.
[15] But thou, O Israel, be not ignorant, and go ye not, men of Juda, to Galgala; and go not up to the house of On, and swear not by the living Lord. [16] For Israel was maddened like a mad heifer: now the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a wide place. [17] Ephraim, joined with idols, has laid stumbling-blocks in his own way. [18] He has chosen the Chananites: they have grievously gone a-whoring: they have loved dishonour through her insolence. [19] Thou art a blast of wind in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their altars.
Chapter 5
[1] Hear these things, ye priests; and attend, O house of Israel; and hearken, O house of the king; for the controversy is with you, because ye have been a snare in Scopia, and as a net spread on Itabyrium, [2] which they that hunt the prey have fixed: but I will correct you. [3] I know Ephraim, and Israel is not far from me: for now Ephraim has gone grievously a-whoring, Israel is defiled. [4] They have not framed their counsels to return to their God, for the spirit of fornication is in them, and they have not known the Lord.
[5] And the pride of Israel shall be brought low before his face; and Israel and Ephraim shall fall in their iniquities; and Judas also shall fall with them. [6] They shall go with sheep and calves diligently to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him, for he has withdrawn himself from them. [7] For they have forsaken the Lord; for strange children have been born to them: now shall the cankerworm devour them and their heritages.
[8] Blow ye the trumpet on the hills, sound aloud on the heights: proclaim in the house of On, Benjamin is amazed. [9] Ephraim has come to nought in the days of reproof: in the tribes of Israel I have shown faithful dealings. [10] The princes of Juda became
as they that removed the bounds: I will pour out upon them my fury as water.
[11] Ephraim altogether prevailed against his adversary, he trod judgment under foot, for he began to go after vanities. [12] Therefore I will be as consternation to Ephraim, and as a goad to the house of Juda. [13] And Ephraim saw his disease, and Judas his pain; then Ephraim went to the Assyrians, and sent ambassadors to king Jarim: but he could not heal you, and your pain shall in nowise cease from you. [14] Wherefore I am as a panther to Ephraim, and as a lion to the house of Juda: and I will tear, and go away; and I will take, and there shall be none to deliver.
[15] I will go and return to my place, until they are brought to nought, and then shall they seek my face.
Chapter 6
[1] In their affliction they will seek me early, saying, Let us go, and return to the Lord our God; for he has torn, and will heal us; [2] he will smite, and bind us up. [3] After two days he will heal us: in the third day we shall arise, and live before him, and shall know him: [4] let us follow on to know the Lord: we shall find him ready as the morning, and he will come to us as the early and latter rain to the earth.
[5] What shall I do unto thee, Ephraim? What shall I do to thee, Juda? whereas your mercy is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew that goes away. [6] Therefore have I mown down your prophets; I have slain them with the word of my mouth: and my judgment shall go forth as the light. [7] For I will have mercy rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than whole-burnt-offerings. [8] But they are as a man transgressing a covenant: [9] there the city Galaad despised me, working vanity, troubling water. [10] And thy strength is that of a robber: the priests have hid the way, they have murdered the people of Sicima; for they have wrought iniquity in the house of Israel. [11] I have seen horrible things there, even the fornication of Ephraim: Israel and Juda are defiled; [12] begin together grapes for thyself, when I turn the captivity of my people.
Chapter 7
[1] When I have healed Israel, then shall the iniquity of Ephraim be revealed, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they have wrought falsehood: and a thief shall come in to him, even a robber spoiling in his way; [2] that they may concert together as men singing in their heart: I remember all their wickedness: now have their own counsels compassed them about; they came before my face. [3] They gladdened kings with their wickedness, and princes with their lies. [4] They are all adulterers, as an oven glowing with flame for hot-baking, on account of the kneading of the dough, until it is leavened. [5] In the days of our kings, the princes began to be inflamed with wine: he stretched out his hand with pestilent fellows. [6] Wherefore their hearts are inflamed as an oven, while they rage all the night: Ephraim is satisfied with sleep; the morning is come; he is burnt up as a flame of fire. [7] They are all heated like an oven, and have devoured their judges: all their kings are fallen; there was not among them one that called on me.
[8] Ephraim is mixed among his people; Ephraim became a cake not turned. [9] Strangers devoured his strength, and he knew it not; and grey hairs came upon him, and he knew it not. [10] And the pride of Israel shall be brought down before his face: yet they have not returned to the Lord their God, neither have they diligently sought him for all this.
[11] And Ephraim was as a silly dove, not having a heart: he called to Egypt, and they went to the Assyrians. [12] Whenever they shall go, I will cast my net upon them; I will bring them down as the birds of the sky, I will chasten them with the rumor of their coming affliction.
[13] Woe to them! for they have started aside from me: they are cowards; for they have sinned against me: yet I redeemed them, but they spoke falsehoods against me. [14] And their hearts did not cry to me, but they howled on their beds: they pined for oil and wine. [15] They were instructed by me, and I strengthened their arms; and they devised evils against me. [16] They turned aside to that which is not, they became as a bent bow: their princes shall fall by the sword, by reason of the unbridled state of their tongue: this is their setting at nought in the land of Egypt.
Chapter 8
[1] He shall come into their midst as the land, as an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant, and have sinned against my law. [2] They shall soon cry out to me, saying, O God, we know thee. [3] For Israel has turned away from good things; they have pursued an enemy. [4] They have made kings for themselves, but not by me: they have ruled, but they did not make it known to me: of their silver and their gold they have made images to themselves, that they might be destroyed.
[5] Cast off thy calf, O Samaria; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will they be unable to purge themselves in Israel? [6] Whereas the workman made it, and it is not God; wherefore thy calf, Samaria, was a deceiver: [7] for they sowed blighted seed, and their destruction shall await them, a sheaf of corn that avails not to make meal; and even if it should produce it, strangers shall devour it. [8] Israel is swallowed up: now is he become among the nations as a worthless vessel. [9] For they have gone up to the Assyrians: Ephraim has been strengthened against himself; they loved gifts. [10] Therefore shall they be delivered to the nations: now I will receive them, and they shall cease a little to anoint a king and princes.
[11] Because Ephraim has multiplied altars, his beloved altars are become sins to him. [12] I will write down a multitude of commands for him; but his statutes are accounted strange things, even the beloved altars. [13] For if they should offer a sacrifice, and eat flesh, the lord will not accept them: now will he remember their iniquities, and will take vengeance on their sins: they have returned to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things among the Assyrians. [14] And Israel has forgotten him that made him, and they have built fanes, and Juda has multiplied walled cities: but I will send fire on his cities, and it shall devour their foundations.
Chapter 9
[1] Rejoice 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. [2] The threshing-floor and wine-press knew them not, and the wine disappointed them. [3] They dwelt not in the Lord’s land: Ephraim dwelt in Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things among the Assyrians. [4] They 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.
[5] What will ye do in the day of the general assembly, and in the day of the feast of the Lord? [6] Therefore, 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.
[7] The 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. [8] The 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. [9] They have corrupted themselves according to the days of the hill: he will remember their iniquities, he will take vengeance on their sins.
[10] I 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. [11] Ephraim has flown away as a bird; their glories from the birth, and the travail, and the conception. [12] For 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. [13] Ephraim, even as I saw, gave their children for a prey; yea, Ephraim was ready to bring out his children to slaughter.
[14] Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give them? a miscarrying womb, and dry breasts. [15] All 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. [16] Ephraim is sick, he is dried up at his root
s, 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. [17] God shall reject them, because they have not hearkened to him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.
Chapter 10
[1] Israel is a vine with goodly branches, her fruit is abundant: according to the multitude of her fruits she has multiplied her altars; according to the wealth of his land, he has set up pillars. [2] They have divided their hearts; now shall they be utterly destroyed: he shall dig down their altars, their pillars shall mourn.
[3] Because now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the Lord: [4] and what should a king do for us, speaking false professions as his words? he will make a covenant: judgment shall spring up as a weed on the soil of the field. [5] The inhabitants of Samaria shall dwell near the calf of the house of On; for the people of it mourned for it: and as they provoked him, they shall rejoice at his glory, because he has departed from them. [6] And having bound it for the Assyrians, they carried it away as presents to king Jarim: Ephraim shall receive a gift, and Israel shall be ashamed of his counsel. [7] Samaria has cast off her king as a twig on the surface of the water. [8] And the altars of On, the sins of Israel, shall be taken away: thorns and thistles shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.
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