<t /><p class="poetry">Although Ephraim has built many altars for sin offerings,p> <p class="poetry">these have become altars for sinning!p>

<p class="poetry">The more the priests increased in numbers,p> <p class="poetry">the more they rebelled against me.p> <p class="poetry">They have turned<n id="1" /> their glorious callingp> <p class="poetry">into a shameful disgrace!p>

<t /><p class="poetry">O Israel, you have sinned since the time<n id="1" /> of Gibeah,p> <p class="poetry">and there you have remained.p> <p class="poetry">Did not war overtake the evildoers in Gibeah?p>

<p class="poetry">Even now they persist in sin!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They make metal images for themselves,p> <p class="poetry">idols that they skillfully fashion<n id="2" /> from their own silver;p> <p class="poetry">all of them are nothing but the work of craftsmen!p> <p class="poetry">There is a saying about them:<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Those who sacrifice<n id="4" /> to the calf idol are calf kissers!&#8221;<n id="5" />p>