<p class="poetry">Israel has forgotten his Maker and built royal palaces,p> <p class="poetry">and Judah has built many fortified cities.p> <p class="poetry">But I will send fire on their cities;p> <p class="poetry">it will consume their royal citadels.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">The royal advisers delight the king with their evil schemes,p> <p class="poetry">the princes make him glad with their lies.p>

<p class="poetry">Even the calf idol<n id="1" /> will be carried to Assyria,p> <p class="poetry">as tribute for the great king.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Ephraim will be disgraced;p> <p class="poetry">Israel will be put to shame because<n id="3" /> of its wooden idol.<n id="4" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Do not let anyone accuse or contend against anyone else:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">for my case is against you priests!<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">They have committed treason<n id="1" /> against the <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">because they bore illegitimate children.p> <p class="poetry">Soon<n id="2" /> the new moon festival will devour them and their fields.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">In the womb he attacked his brother;p> <p class="poetry">in his manly vigor he struggled<n id="1" /> with God.p>

Then I told her, &#8220;You must live with me many days; you must not commit adultery or have sexual intercourse with<n id="1" /> another man, and I also will wait for you.&#8221;

<t /><p class="poetry">The roar of battle will rise against your people;p> <p class="poetry">all your fortresses will be devastated,p> <p class="poetry">just as Shalman devastated<n id="1" /> Beth Arbel on the day of battle,p> <p class="poetry">when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Sound the alarm!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">An eagle<n id="2" /> looms over the temple of the <sc>Lordsc>!p> <p class="poetry">For they have broken their covenant with me,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and have rebelled against my law.p>

<p class="poetry">I led them with leather<n id="1" /> cords,p> <p class="poetry">with leather<n id="2" /> ropes;p> <p class="poetry">I lifted the yoke<n id="3" /> from their neck,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and gently fed them.<n id="5" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">At Adam<n id="1" /> they broke<n id="2" /> the covenant;p> <p class="poetry">Oh how<n id="3" /> they were unfaithful<n id="4" /> to me!p>

<p class="poetry">Israel cries out to me,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;My God, we acknowledge you!&#8221;p>

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

<t /><p class="poetry">The punishment<n id="1" /> of Ephraim has been decreed;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">his punishment is being stored up for the future.p>

<p class="poetry">But you have plowed wickedness;p> <p class="poetry">you have reaped injustice;p> <p class="poetry">you have eaten the fruit of deception.p> <p class="poetry">Because you have depended on your chariots;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">you have relied<n id="2" /> on your many warriors.p>

<p class="poetry">He struggled<n id="1" /> with an angel and prevailed;p> <p class="poetry">he wept and begged for his favor.p> <p class="poetry">He found God<n id="2" /> at Bethel,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and there he spoke with him!<n id="4" />p>

Then the people<n id="1" /> of Judah and the people of Israel will be gathered together. They will appoint for themselves one leader,<n id="2" /> and will flourish in the land.<n id="3" /> Certainly,<n id="4" /> the day of Jezreel will be great!

<p class="poetry">You have destroyed<n id="1" /> my peoplep> <p class="poetry">by failing to acknowledge me!p> <p class="poetry">Because you refuse to acknowledge me,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I will reject you as my priests.p> <p class="poetry">Because you reject<n id="3" /> the law of your God,p> <p class="poetry">I will reject<n id="4" /> your descendants.p>

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

<p class="poetry">Sow righteousness for yourselves,p> <p class="poetry">reap unfailing love.p> <p class="poetry">Break up the unplowed ground for yourselves,p> <p class="poetry">for it is time to seek the <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">until he comes and showers deliverance<n id="1" /> on you.p>