I have appointed a time to reap judgment for you also, O Judah!Whenever I want to restore the fortunes of my people,

whenever I want to heal Israel, the sin of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria are exposed. For they do what is wrong; thieves break into houses, and gangs rob people out in the streets.

They consume their alcohol, then engage in cult prostitution; they dearly love their shameful behavior.

They do not pray to me, but howl in distress on their beds; They slash themselves for grain and new wine, but turn away from me.

They feed on the sin offerings of my people; their appetites long for their iniquity!

Although Ephraim has built many altars for sin offerings, these have become altars for sinning!

They are all like bakers, they are like a smoldering oven; they are like a baker who does not stoke the fire until the kneaded dough is ready for baking.

“I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt; I will make you live in tents again as in the days of old.

Ephraim will be ruined in the day of judgment! What I am declaring to the tribes of Israel will certainly take place!

So what will you do on the festival day, on the festival days of the Lord?

But the more I summoned them, the farther they departed from me. They sacrificed to the Baal idols and burned incense to images.

In the womb he attacked his brother; in his manly vigor he struggled with God.

For the Israelites must live many days without a king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred fertility pillar, without ephod or idols.

Although they bring their flocks and herds to seek the favor of the Lord, They will not find him – he has withdrawn himself from them!

Even the calf idol will be carried to Assyria, as tribute for the great king. Ephraim will be disgraced; Israel will be put to shame because of its wooden idol.

O Israel, you have sinned since the time of Gibeah, and there you have remained. Did not war overtake the evildoers in Gibeah?

Then the people of Judah and the people of Israel will be gathered together. They will appoint for themselves one leader, and will flourish in the land. Certainly, the day of Jezreel will be great!

(2:1) However, in the future the number of the people of Israel will be like the sand of the sea which can be neither measured nor numbered. Although it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it will be said to them, “You are children of the living God!”

Then she will pursue her lovers, but she will not catch them; she will seek them, but she will not find them. Then she will say, “I will go back to my husband, because I was better off then than I am now.”