4:1 Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites!
For the Lord has a covenant lawsuit
For there is neither faithfulness nor loyalty in the land,
nor do they acknowledge God.
4:2 There is only cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery.
They resort to violence and bloodshed.
4:3 Therefore the land will mourn,
and all its inhabitants will perish.
The wild animals,
and even the fish in the sea will perish.
4:4 Do not let anyone accuse or contend against anyone else:
for my case is against you priests!
4:5 You stumble day and night,
and the false prophets stumble with you;
You have destroyed your own people!
4:6 You have destroyed
by failing to acknowledge me!
Because you refuse to acknowledge me,
I will reject you as my priests.
Because you reject
I will reject
4:7 The more the priests increased in numbers,
the more they rebelled against me.
They have turned
into a shameful disgrace!
4:8 They feed on the sin offerings of my people;
their appetites long for their iniquity!
4:9 I will deal with the people and priests together:
I will punish them both for their ways,
and I will repay them for their deeds.
4:10 They will eat, but not be satisfied;
they will engage in prostitution, but not increase in numbers;
because they have abandoned the Lord
by pursuing other gods.
4:11 Old and new wine
take away the understanding of my people.
4:12 They consult their wooden idols,
and their diviner’s staff answers with an oracle.
The wind of prostitution blows them astray;
they commit spiritual adultery
4:13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops,
and burn offerings on the hills;
they sacrifice
because their shade is so pleasant.
As a result, your daughters have become cult prostitutes,
and your daughters-in-law commit adultery!
4:14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit prostitution,
nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery.
For the men consort with harlots,
they sacrifice with temple prostitutes.
It is true:
4:15 Although you, O Israel, commit adultery,
do not let Judah become guilty!
Do not journey to Gilgal!
Do not go up to Beth Aven!
Do not swear, “As surely as the Lord lives!”
4:16 Israel has rebelled
Soon
like a lamb in a broad field!
4:17 Ephraim has attached himself to idols;
Do not go near him!
4:18 They consume their alcohol,
then engage in cult prostitution;
they dearly love their shameful behavior.
4:19 A whirlwind has wrapped them in its wings;
they will be brought to shame because of their idolatrous worship.
5:1 Hear this, you priests!
Pay attention, you Israelites!
Listen closely,
For judgment is about to overtake you!
For you were like a trap
like a net
5:2 Those who revolt are knee-deep in slaughter,
but I will discipline them all.
5:3 I know Ephraim all too well;
the evil of
For you have engaged in prostitution, O Ephraim;
Israel has defiled itself.
5:4 Their wicked deeds do not allow them to return to their God;
because a spirit of idolatry
and they do not acknowledge the Lord.
5:5 The arrogance of Israel testifies against it;
Israel and Ephraim will be overthrown
Even Judah will be brought down
5:6 Although they bring their flocks and herds
to seek
They will not find him –
he has withdrawn himself from them!
5:7 They have committed treason
because they bore illegitimate children.
Soon
5:8 Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah!
Sound the trumpet in Ramah!
Sound the alarm in Beth Aven!
Tremble in fear,
5:9 Ephraim will be ruined in the day of judgment!
What I am declaring
5:10 The princes of Judah are like those who move boundary markers.
I will pour out my rage on them like a torrential flood!
5:11 Ephraim will be oppressed,
because he was determined to pursue worthless idols.
5:12 I will be like a moth to Ephraim,
like wood rot
5:13 When Ephraim saw
and Judah saw his wound,
then Ephraim turned
and begged
But he will not be able to heal you!
He cannot cure your wound!
5:14 I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
like a young lion to the house of Judah.
I myself will tear them to pieces,
then I will carry them off, and no one will be able to rescue them!