1Do not rejoice, Israel; do not be jubilant like the other nations. For you have been unfaithful to your God; you love the wages of a prostitute at every threshing-floor.2Threshing-floors and winepresses will not feed the people; the new wine will fail them.3They will not remain in the Lord’s land; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.4They will not pour out wine offerings to the Lord, nor will their sacrifices please him. Such sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat them will be unclean. This food will be for themselves; it will not come into the temple of the Lord.5What will you do on the day of your appointed festivals, on the feast days of the Lord?6Even if they escape from destruction, Egypt will gather them, and Memphis will bury them. Their treasures of silver will be taken over by briers, and thorns will overrun their tents.7The days of punishment are coming, the days of reckoning are at hand. Let Israel know this. Because your sins are so many and your hostility so great, the prophet is considered a fool, the inspired person a maniac.8The prophet, along with my God, is the watchman over Ephraim,[1] yet snares await him on all his paths, and hostility in the house of his God.9They have sunk deep into corruption, as in the days of Gibeah. God will remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins.10‘When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig-tree. But when they came to Baal Peor, they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol and became as vile as the thing they loved.11Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird – no birth, no pregnancy, no conception.12Even if they bring up children, I will bereave them of every one. Woe to them when I turn away from them!13I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place. But Ephraim will bring out their children to the slayer.’14Give them, Lord – what will you give them? Give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that are dry.15‘Because of all their wickedness in Gilgal, I hated them there. Because of their sinful deeds, I will drive them out of my house. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious.16Ephraim is blighted, their root is withered, they yield no fruit. Even if they bear children, I will slay their cherished offspring.’17My God will reject them because they have not obeyed him; they will be wanderers among the nations.
Hosea 9
English Standard Version
The Lord Will Punish Israel
1Rejoice not, O Israel! Exult not like the peoples; for you have played the whore, forsaking your God. You have loved a prostitute’s wages on all threshing floors. (Jer 44:17; Ho 1:2; Ho 2:5)2Threshing floor and wine vat shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail them. (Ho 2:9)3They shall not remain in the land of the Lord, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria. (Le 25:23; Jer 2:7; Jer 16:18; Eze 4:13; Da 1:8; Ho 8:13)4They shall not pour drink offerings of wine to the Lord, and their sacrifices shall not please him. It shall be like mourners’ bread to them; all who eat of it shall be defiled; for their bread shall be for their hunger only; it shall not come to the house of the Lord. (De 26:14; Eze 24:17; Ho 3:4; Ho 8:13; Hag 2:13)5What will you do on the day of the appointed festival, and on the day of the feast of the Lord? (Isa 10:3)6For behold, they are going away from destruction; but Egypt shall gather them; Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver; thorns shall be in their tents. (Isa 2:20; Ho 8:13; Ho 10:8)7The days of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come; Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is mad, because of your great iniquity and great hatred. (Isa 10:3; Eze 13:3)8The prophet is the watchman of Ephraim with my God; yet a fowler’s snare is on all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God. (Ps 91:3; Eze 3:17; Ho 5:1)9They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah: he will remember their iniquity; he will punish their sins. (Jud 19:22; Ho 5:2; Ho 10:9)10Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers. But they came to Baal-peor and consecrated themselves to the thing of shame, and became detestable like the thing they loved. (Nu 25:3; Ps 80:8; Ps 106:28; Isa 5:1; Ho 4:14; Ro 1:28)11Ephraim’s glory shall fly away like a bird— no birth, no pregnancy, no conception! (Isa 26:18; Ho 4:7; Ho 10:5)12Even if they bring up children, I will bereave them till none is left. Woe to them when I depart from them! (1Sa 28:15; Eze 10:18; Ho 5:6; Ho 7:13; Ho 13:16)13Ephraim, as I have seen, was like a young palm[1] planted in a meadow; but Ephraim must lead his children out to slaughter.[2] (Eze 27:3; Ho 9:12)14Give them, O Lord— what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. (Lu 23:29)15Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal; there I began to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels. (Ho 4:15; Ho 5:2; Ho 8:4; Ho 12:11)16Ephraim is stricken; their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit. Even though they give birth, I will put their beloved children to death. (Ho 9:11; Ho 9:12)17My God will reject them because they have not listened to him; they shall be wanderers among the nations. (De 28:64; Ho 8:5)