Hosea 9
1 Israel, don’t rejoice.Don’t celebrate as other nations do.You have been unfaithful to your God.You have sold sex on every threshing floor.t2 There won’t be enough grain to feed people.There won’t be enough wine to go around.3 The people of Ephraim won’t stay in the Lord’s land.They will return to Egypt,and they will eat uncleant food in Assyria.4 They won’t pour wine offerings to the Lord,and their sacrifices won’t please him.Their sacrifices will be like the food that mourners eat.All who eat this food will be unclean.Their food will only satisfy their hunger.It will not be brought as an offering to the Lord’s temple.5 What will they do on the day of an appointed festivalor on the Lord’s festival days?6 Even if they escape without being destroyed,Egypt will capture themand Memphis will bury them.Weeds will grow over their silver treasures.Thorns will grow over their tents.7 The time for them to be punished will come.The time for them to pay for their sins will come.When this happens, Israel will know it.They think that prophets are foolsand that spiritual people are crazy.They have sinned a lot, and they are very hostile.8 Prophets are God’s watchmen over Ephraim.Yet, traps are set on every prophet’s path,and people are hostile in the temple of their God.9 People have deeply corrupted themselves as they once did at Gibeah.God will remember their wickednessand punish them because of their sins.
Israel Is Like Rotten Grapes or Rotten Figs
10 The Lord said, “When I found Israel,it was like finding grapes in the desert.When I saw your ancestors,it was like seeing the first figs of the harvest.But they went to Baal Peor and worshiped shameful idols.They became as disgusting as the things they worshiped.11 “Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird.There will be no more pregnancies, births, or babies.12 Even if they bring up children,I will take those children away before they grow up.Yes, how horrible it will be for them when I leave them.13 I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place.But the people of Ephraim will bring out their childrento be killed.”14 Lord, give them what they deserve.Make the women miscarry,or else make them unable to nurse their babies.15 “All Ephraim’s wickedness began in Gilgal; I hated the people there.I will force them out of my temple because of their wickedness,and I won’t love them anymore.All their officials are rebellious.16 “The people of Ephraim are like sick plants.Their roots are dried up.They have no fruit.Even if they were to have children,I would kill their dear children.”17 My God will reject thembecause they refused to listen to him.They will wander among the nations.
Hosea 9
1 Rejoice 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.2 The threshing-floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail her.3 They shall not dwell in Jehovah’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria.4 They 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.5 What will ye do in the day of solemn assembly, and in the day of the feast of Jehovah?6 For, 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.7 The 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.8 Ephraim 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.9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.10 I 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.11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird: there shall be no birth, and none with child, and no conception.12 Though 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!13 Ephraim, like as I have seen Tyre, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring out his children to the slayer.14 Give them, O Jehovah-what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.15 All 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.16 Ephraim 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.17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.