Foreigners are consuming what his strenuous labor produced, but he does not recognize it! His head is filled with gray hair, but he does not realize it!

Ephraim was a well-trained heifer who loved to thresh grain; I myself put a fine yokeon her neck. I will harness Ephraim. Let Judah plow! Let Jacob break up the unplowed ground for himself!

Assyria cannot save us; we will not ride warhorses. We will never again say, ‘Our gods’ to what our own hands have made. For only you will show compassion to Orphan Israel!”

There is only cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery. They resort to violence and bloodshed.

Otherwise, I will strip her naked, and expose her like she was when she was born. I will turn her land into a wilderness and make her country a parched land, so that I might kill her with thirst.

I will destroy you, O Israel! Who is there to help you?

The punishment of Ephraim has been decreed; his punishment is being stored up for the future.

The labor pains of a woman will overtake him, but the baby will lack wisdom; when the time arrives, he will not come out of the womb!

I led them with leather cords, with leather ropes; I lifted the yoke from their neck, and gently fed them.

Therefore, I will soon fence her in with thorns; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.

Soon I will expose her lewd nakedness in front of her lovers, and no one will be able to rescue her from me!

You stumble day and night, and the false prophets stumble with you; You have destroyed your own people!

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

Ephraim will be oppressed, crushed under judgment, because he was determined to pursue worthless idols.

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

A sword will flash in their cities, it will destroy the bars of their city gates, and will devour them in their fortresses.

Even now they persist in sin! They make metal images for themselves, idols that they skillfully fashion from their own silver; all of them are nothing but the work of craftsmen! There is a saying about them: “Those who sacrifice to the calf idol are calf kissers!”

“At that time,” declares the Lord, “you will call, ‘My husband’; you will never again call me, ‘My master.’

Then I will return again to my lair until they have suffered their punishment. Then they will seek me; in their distress they will earnestly seek me.

Therefore, I will certainly cut you into pieces at the hands of the prophets; I will certainly kill you in fulfillment of my oracles of judgment; for my judgment will come forth like the light of the dawn.