1
Rejoice not, O Israel, unto exultation, like the peoples, for thou hast gone astray from thy God, thou hast loved a harlot"s hire upon every corn-floor.
2
The threshing-floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail her.
3
They shall not dwell in the LORD"S land;
but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria.
4
They shall not pour out wine-offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto Him;
their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners, all that eat thereof shall be polluted;
for their bread shall be for their appetite, it shall not come into the house of the LORD.
5
What will ye do in the day of the appointed season, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?
6
For, lo, they are gone away from destruction, yet Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them;
their precious treasures of silver, nettles shall possess them, thorns shall be in their tents.
7
The days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come, Israel shall know it.
The prophet is a fool, the man of the spirit is mad!
For the multitude of thine iniquity, the enmity is great.
8
Ephraim is a watchman with my God;
as for the prophet, a fowler"s snare is in all his ways, and enmity in the house of his God.
9
They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah;
He will remember their iniquity, He will punish their sins.
10
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, I saw your fathers as the first-ripe in the fig-tree at her first season;
but so soon as they came to Baal-peor, they separated themselves unto the shameful thing, and became detestable like that which they loved.
11
As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird;
there shall be no birth, and none with child, and no conception.
12
Yea, though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there be not a man left;
yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
13
Ephraim, like as I have seen Tyre, is planted in a pleasant place;
but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the slayer.
14
Give them, O LORD, whatsoever Thou wilt give;
give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
15
All their wickedness is in Gilgal, for there I hated them;
because of the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of My house;
I will love them no more, all their princes are rebellious.
16
Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit;
yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay the beloved fruit of their womb.
17
My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto Him;
and they shall be wanderers among the nations.