Hosea 9

¹Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, like the peoples; for thou hast played the harlot, departing from thy God; thou hast loved hire upon every grain-floor.

²The threshing-floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail her.

³They shall not dwell in Jehovah’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria.

⁴They shall not pour out wine-offerings to Jehovah, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted; for their bread shall be for their appetite; it shall not come into the house of Jehovah.

⁵What will ye do in the day of solemn assembly, and in the day of the feast of Jehovah?

⁶For, lo, they are gone away from destruction; yet Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them; their pleasant things of silver, nettles shall possess them; thorns shall be in their tents.

⁷The days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the man that hath the spirit is mad, for the abundance of thine iniquity, and because the enmity is great.

⁸Ephraim was a watchman with my God: as for the prophet, a fowler’s snare is in all his ways, and enmity in the house of his God.

⁹They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.

¹⁰I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the first-ripe in the fig-tree at its first season: but they came to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves unto the shameful thing, and became abominable like that which they loved.

¹¹As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird: there shall be no birth, and none with child, and no conception.

¹²Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, so that not a man shall be left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!

¹³Ephraim, like as I have seen Tyre, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring out his children to the slayer.

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

¹⁵All their wickedness is in Gilgal; for there I hated them: because of the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of my house; I will love them no more; all their princes are revolters.

¹⁶Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay the beloved fruit of their womb.

¹⁷My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

Hosea 9

¹Do not rejoice, O Israel, with exultation like the nations, for you have played the harlot against your God; you have made love for hire on every threshing floor.

²The threshing floor and winepress will not feed them, and the new wine will fail them.

³They will not remain in the land of the LORD; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.

⁴They will not pour out wine offerings to the LORD, and their sacrifices will not please Him, but will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat will be defiled. For their bread will be for themselves; it will not enter the house of the LORD.

⁵What will you do on the appointed day, on the day of the LORD’s feast?

⁶For even if they flee destruction, Egypt will gather them and Memphis will bury them. Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles, and thorns will overrun their tents.

⁷The days of punishment have come; the days of retribution have arrived— let Israel know it. The prophet is called a fool, and the inspired man insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and hostility.

⁸The prophet is Ephraim’s watchman, along with my God, yet the snare of the fowler lies on all his paths. Hostility is in the house of his God!

⁹They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah; He will remember their guilt; He will punish their sins.

¹⁰I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so they became as detestable as the thing they loved.

¹¹Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird, with no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.

¹²Even if they raise their children, I will bereave them of each one. Yes, woe be to them when I turn away from them!

¹³I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a meadow. But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter.

¹⁴Give them, O LORD— what will You give? Give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that dry up!

¹⁵All their evil appears at Gilgal, for there I hated them. I will drive them from My house for the wickedness of their deeds. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious.

¹⁶Ephraim is struck down; their root is withered; they cannot bear fruit. Even if they bear children, I will slay the darlings of their wombs.

¹⁷My God will reject them because they have not obeyed Him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.