7 When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.
² And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.
³ They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
⁴ They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.
⁵ In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.
⁶ For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
⁷ They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.
⁸ Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
⁹ Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.
¹⁰ And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this.

Israel Has Rebelled Against God

7 “When I would have healed Israel,
Then the iniquity of Ephraim was uncovered,
And the wickedness of Samaria.
For they have committed fraud;
A thief comes in;
A band of robbers ^[a]takes spoil outside.
² They ^[b]do not consider in their hearts
That I remember all their wickedness;
Now their own deeds have surrounded them;
They are before My face.
³ They make a king glad with their wickedness,
And princes with their lies.

⁴ “They are all adulterers.
Like an oven heated by a baker—
He ceases stirring the fire after kneading the dough,
Until it is leavened.
⁵ In the day of our king
Princes have made him sick, ^[c]inflamed with wine;
He stretched out his hand with scoffers.
⁶ They prepare their heart like an oven,
While they lie in wait;
^[d]Their baker sleeps all night;
In the morning it burns like a flaming fire.
⁷ They are all hot, like an oven,
And have devoured their judges;
All their kings have fallen.
None among them calls upon Me.

⁸ “Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples;
Ephraim is a cake unturned.
⁹ Aliens have devoured his strength,
But he does not know it;
Yes, gray hairs are here and there on him,
Yet he does not know it.
¹⁰ And the pride of Israel testifies to his face,
But they do not return to the Lord their God,
Nor seek Him for all this.

Footnotes:
a. Hosea 7:1 plunders
b. Hosea 7:2 Lit. do not say to
c. Hosea 7:5 Lit. with the heat of
d. Hosea 7:6 So with MT, Vg.; Syr., Tg. Their anger; LXX Ephraim

7 ¹ whenever I would heal Israel,
the sins of Ephraim are exposed
    and the crimes of Samaria revealed.
They practice deceit,
    thieves break into houses,
    bandits rob in the streets;
² but they do not realize
    that I remember all their evil deeds.
Their sins engulf them;
    they are always before me.

³ “They delight the king with their wickedness,
    the princes with their lies.
⁴ They are all adulterers,
    burning like an oven
whose fire the baker need not stir
    from the kneading of the dough till it rises.
⁵ On the day of the festival of our king
    the princes become inflamed with wine,
    and he joins hands with the mockers.
⁶ Their hearts are like an oven;
    they approach him with intrigue.
Their passion smolders all night;
    in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
⁷ All of them are hot as an oven;
    they devour their rulers.
All their kings fall,
    and none of them calls on me.

⁸ “Ephraim mixes with the nations;
    Ephraim is a flat loaf not turned over.
⁹ Foreigners sap his strength,
    but he does not realize it.
His hair is sprinkled with gray,
    but he does not notice.
¹⁰ Israel’s arrogance testifies against him,
    but despite all this
he does not return to the Lord his God
    or search for him.

Israel’s Love for Wickedness

7 “I want to heal Israel, but its^[a] sins are too great.
    Samaria is filled with liars.
Thieves are on the inside
    and bandits on the outside!
² Its people don’t realize
    that I am watching them.
Their sinful deeds are all around them,
    and I see them all.

³ “The people entertain the king with their wickedness,
    and the princes laugh at their lies.
⁴ They are all adulterers,
    always aflame with lust.
They are like an oven that is kept hot
    while the baker is kneading the dough.
⁵ On royal holidays, the princes get drunk with wine,
    carousing with those who mock them.
⁶ Their hearts are like an oven
    blazing with intrigue.
Their plot smolders^[b] through the night,
    and in the morning it breaks out like a raging fire.
⁷ Burning like an oven,
    they consume their leaders.
They kill their kings one after another,
    and no one cries to me for help.

⁸ “The people of Israel mingle with godless foreigners,
    making themselves as worthless as a half-baked cake!
⁹ Worshiping foreign gods has sapped their strength,
    but they don’t even know it.
Their hair is gray,
    but they don’t realize they’re old and weak.
¹⁰ Their arrogance testifies against them,
    yet they don’t return to the Lord their God
    or even try to find him.

Footnotes:
a. 7:1 Hebrew Ephraim’s, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel; similarly in 7:8, 11.
b. 7:6 Hebrew Their baker sleeps.

¹¹ Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
¹² When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.
¹³ Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.
¹⁴ And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.
¹⁵ Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.
¹⁶ They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

Futile Reliance on the Nations

¹¹ “Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without ^[a]sense—
They call to Egypt,
They go to Assyria.
¹² Wherever they go, I will spread My net on them;
I will bring them down like birds of the air;
I will chastise them
According to what their congregation has heard.

¹³ “Woe to them, for they have fled from Me!
Destruction to them,
Because they have transgressed against Me!
Though I redeemed them,
Yet they have spoken lies against Me.
¹⁴ They did not cry out to Me with their heart
When they wailed upon their beds.

“They ^[b]assemble together for grain and new wine,
^[c]They rebel against Me;
¹⁵ Though I disciplined and strengthened their arms,
Yet they devise evil against Me;
¹⁶ They return, but not ^[d]to the Most High;
They are like a treacherous bow.
Their princes shall fall by the sword
For the cursings of their tongue.
This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

Footnotes:
a. Hosea 7:11 Lit. heart
b. Hosea 7:14 So with MT, Tg.; Vg. thought upon; LXX slashed themselves for (cf. 1 Kin. 18:28)
c. Hosea 7:14 So with MT, Syr., Tg.; LXX omits They rebel against Me; Vg. They departed from Me
d. Hosea 7:16 Or upward

¹¹ “Ephraim is like a dove,
    easily deceived and senseless—
now calling to Egypt,
    now turning to Assyria.
¹² When they go, I will throw my net over them;
    I will pull them down like the birds in the sky.
When I hear them flocking together,
    I will catch them.
¹³ Woe to them,
    because they have strayed from me!
Destruction to them,
    because they have rebelled against me!
I long to redeem them
    but they speak about me falsely.
¹⁴ They do not cry out to me from their hearts
    but wail on their beds.
They slash themselves,^[a] appealing to their gods
    for grain and new wine,
    but they turn away from me.
¹⁵ I trained them and strengthened their arms,
    but they plot evil against me.
¹⁶ They do not turn to the Most High;
    they are like a faulty bow.
Their leaders will fall by the sword
    because of their insolent words.
For this they will be ridiculed
    in the land of Egypt.

Footnotes:
a. Hosea 7:14 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts They gather together

¹¹ “The people of Israel have become like silly, witless doves,
    first calling to Egypt, then flying to Assyria for help.
¹² But as they fly about,
    I will throw my net over them
and bring them down like a bird from the sky.
    I will punish them for all the evil they do.^[a]

¹³ “What sorrow awaits those who have deserted me!
    Let them die, for they have rebelled against me.
I wanted to redeem them,
    but they have told lies about me.
¹⁴ They do not cry out to me with sincere hearts.
    Instead, they sit on their couches and wail.
They cut themselves,^[b] begging foreign gods for grain and new wine,
    and they turn away from me.
¹⁵ I trained them and made them strong,
    yet now they plot evil against me.
¹⁶ They look everywhere except to the Most High.
    They are as useless as a crooked bow.
Their leaders will be killed by their enemies
    because of their insolence toward me.
Then the people of Egypt
    will laugh at them.

Footnotes:
a. 7:12 Hebrew I will punish them because of what was reported against them in the assembly.
b. 7:14 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads They gather together.

8 Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
² Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.
³ Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
⁴ They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
⁵ Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?
⁶ For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
⁷ For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
⁸ Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.
⁹ For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.
¹⁰ Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.
¹¹ Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.
¹² I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.
¹³ They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the Lord accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.
¹⁴ For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

The Apostasy of Israel

8 “Set the ^[a]trumpet to your mouth!
He shall come like an eagle against the house of the Lord,
Because they have transgressed My covenant
And rebelled against My law.
² Israel will cry to Me,
‘My God, we know You!’
³ Israel has rejected the good;
The enemy will pursue him.

⁴ “They set up kings, but not by Me;
They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them.
From their silver and gold
They made idols for themselves—
That they might be cut off.
⁵ Your ^[b]calf ^[c]is rejected, O Samaria!
My anger is aroused against them—
How long until they attain to innocence?
⁶ For from Israel is even this:
A workman made it, and it is not God;
But the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.

⁷ “They sow the wind,
And reap the whirlwind.
The stalk has no bud;
It shall never produce meal.
If it should produce,
Aliens would swallow it up.
⁸ Israel is swallowed up;
Now they are among the Gentiles
Like a vessel in which is no pleasure.
⁹ For they have gone up to Assyria,
Like a wild donkey alone by itself;
Ephraim has hired lovers.
¹⁰ Yes, though they have hired among the nations,
Now I will gather them;
And they shall ^[d]sorrow a little,
Because of the ^[e]burden of the king of princes.

¹¹ “Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin,
They have become for him altars for sinning.
¹² I have written for him the great things of My law,
But they were considered a strange thing.
¹³ For the sacrifices of My offerings they sacrifice flesh and eat it,
But the Lord does not accept them.
Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.
They shall return to Egypt.

¹⁴ “For Israel has forgotten his Maker,
And has built ^[f]temples;
Judah also has multiplied fortified cities;
But I will send fire upon his cities,
And it shall devour his ^[g]palaces.”

Footnotes:
a. Hosea 8:1 ram’s horn, Heb. shophar
b. Hosea 8:5 Golden calf image
c. Hosea 8:5 Or has rejected you
d. Hosea 8:10 Or begin to diminish
e. Hosea 8:10 Or oracle or proclamation
f. Hosea 8:14 Or palaces
g. Hosea 8:14 Or citadels

Israel to Reap the Whirlwind

8 “Put the trumpet to your lips!
    An eagle is over the house of the Lord
because the people have broken my covenant
    and rebelled against my law.
² Israel cries out to me,
    ‘Our God, we acknowledge you!’
³ But Israel has rejected what is good;
    an enemy will pursue him.
⁴ They set up kings without my consent;
    they choose princes without my approval.
With their silver and gold
    they make idols for themselves
    to their own destruction.
⁵ Samaria, throw out your calf-idol!
    My anger burns against them.
How long will they be incapable of purity?
⁶     They are from Israel!
This calf—a metalworker has made it;
    it is not God.
It will be broken in pieces,
    that calf of Samaria.

⁷ “They sow the wind
    and reap the whirlwind.
The stalk has no head;
    it will produce no flour.
Were it to yield grain,
    foreigners would swallow it up.
⁸ Israel is swallowed up;
    now she is among the nations
    like something no one wants.
⁹ For they have gone up to Assyria
    like a wild donkey wandering alone.
    Ephraim has sold herself to lovers.
¹⁰ Although they have sold themselves among the nations,
    I will now gather them together.
They will begin to waste away
    under the oppression of the mighty king.

¹¹ “Though Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings,
    these have become altars for sinning.
¹² I wrote for them the many things of my law,
    but they regarded them as something foreign.
¹³ Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to me,
    and though they eat the meat,
    the Lord is not pleased with them.
Now he will remember their wickedness
    and punish their sins:
    They will return to Egypt.
¹⁴ Israel has forgotten their Maker
    and built palaces;
    Judah has fortified many towns.
But I will send fire on their cities
    that will consume their fortresses.”

Israel Harvests the Whirlwind

8 “Sound the alarm!
    The enemy descends like an eagle on the people of the Lord,
for they have broken my covenant
    and revolted against my law.
² Now Israel pleads with me,
    ‘Help us, for you are our God!’
³ But it is too late.
The people of Israel have rejected what is good,
    and now their enemies will chase after them.
⁴ The people have appointed kings without my consent,
    and princes without my approval.
By making idols for themselves from their silver and gold,
    they have brought about their own destruction.

⁵ “O Samaria, I reject this calf—
    this idol you have made.
My fury burns against you.
    How long will you be incapable of innocence?
⁶ This calf you worship, O Israel,
    was crafted by your own hands!
It is not God!
    Therefore, it must be smashed to bits.

⁷ “They have planted the wind
    and will harvest the whirlwind.
The stalks of grain wither
    and produce nothing to eat.
And even if there is any grain,
    foreigners will eat it.
⁸ The people of Israel have been swallowed up;
    they lie among the nations like an old discarded pot.
⁹ Like a wild donkey looking for a mate,
    they have gone up to Assyria.
The people of Israel^[a] have sold themselves—
    sold themselves to many lovers.
¹⁰ But though they have sold themselves to many allies,
    I will now gather them together for judgment.
Then they will writhe
    under the burden of the great king.

¹¹ “Israel has built many altars to take away sin,
    but these very altars became places for sinning!
¹² Even though I gave them all my laws,
    they act as if those laws don’t apply to them.
¹³ The people love to offer sacrifices to me,
    feasting on the meat,
    but I do not accept their sacrifices.
I will hold my people accountable for their sins,
    and I will punish them.
    They will return to Egypt.
¹⁴ Israel has forgotten its Maker and built great palaces,
    and Judah has fortified its cities.
Therefore, I will send down fire on their cities
    and will burn up their fortresses.”

Footnotes:
a. 8:9 Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel; also in 8:11.

9 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.
² The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.
³ They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.
⁴ They shall not offer 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 for their soul shall not come into the house of the Lord.
⁵ What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the Lord?
⁶ For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.
⁷ The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.
⁸ The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.
⁹ They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.

Judgment of Israel’s Sin

9 Do not rejoice, O Israel, with joy like other peoples,
For you have played the harlot against your God.
You have made love for hire on every threshing floor.
² The threshing floor and the winepress
Shall not feed them,
And the new wine shall fail in her.

³ They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land,
But Ephraim shall return to Egypt,
And shall eat unclean things in Assyria.
⁴ They shall not offer wine offerings to the Lord,
Nor shall their sacrifices be pleasing to Him.
It shall be like bread of mourners to them;
All who eat it shall be defiled.
For their bread shall be for their own life;
It shall not come into the house of the Lord.

⁵ What will you do in the appointed day,
And in the day of the feast of the Lord?
⁶ For indeed they are gone because of destruction.
Egypt shall gather them up;
Memphis shall bury them.
Nettles shall possess their valuables of silver;
Thorns shall be in their tents.

⁷ The days of punishment have come;
The days of recompense have come.
Israel knows!
The prophet is a fool,
The spiritual man is insane,
Because of the greatness of your iniquity and great enmity.
⁸ The watchman of Ephraim is with my God;
But the prophet is a ^[a]fowler’s snare in all his ways—
Enmity in the house of his God.
⁹ They are deeply corrupted,
As in the days of Gibeah.
He will remember their iniquity;
He will punish their sins.

Footnotes:
a. Hosea 9:8 One who catches birds in a trap or snare

Punishment for Israel

9 Do not rejoice, Israel;
    do not be jubilant like the other nations.
For you have been unfaithful to your God;
    you love the wages of a prostitute
    at every threshing floor.
² Threshing floors and winepresses will not feed the people;
    the new wine will fail them.
³ They will not remain in the Lord’s land;
    Ephraim will return to Egypt
    and eat unclean food in Assyria.
⁴ They will not pour out wine offerings to the Lord,
    nor will their sacrifices please him.
Such sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners;
    all who eat them will be unclean.
This food will be for themselves;
    it will not come into the temple of the Lord.

⁵ What will you do on the day of your appointed festivals,
    on the feast days of the Lord?
⁶ Even if they escape from destruction,
    Egypt will gather them,
    and Memphis will bury them.
Their treasures of silver will be taken over by briers,
    and thorns will overrun their tents.
⁷ The days of punishment are coming,
    the days of reckoning are at hand.
    Let Israel know this.
Because your sins are so many
    and your hostility so great,
the prophet is considered a fool,
    the inspired person a maniac.
⁸ The prophet, along with my God,
    is the watchman over Ephraim,^[a]
yet snares await him on all his paths,
    and hostility in the house of his God.
⁹ They have sunk deep into corruption,
    as in the days of Gibeah.
God will remember their wickedness
    and punish them for their sins.

Footnotes:
a. Hosea 9:8 Or The prophet is the watchman over Ephraim, / the people of my God

Hosea Announces Israel’s Punishment

9 O people of Israel,
    do not rejoice as other nations do.
For you have been unfaithful to your God,
    hiring yourselves out like prostitutes,
    worshiping other gods on every threshing floor.
² So now your harvests will be too small to feed you.
    There will be no grapes for making new wine.
³ You may no longer stay here in the Lord’s land.
    Instead, you will return to Egypt,
and in Assyria you will eat food
    that is ceremonially unclean.
⁴ There you will make no offerings of wine to the Lord.
    None of your sacrifices there will please him.
They will be unclean, like food touched by a person in mourning.
    All who present such sacrifices will be defiled.
They may eat this food themselves,
    but they may not offer it to the Lord.
⁵ What then will you do on festival days?
    How will you observe the Lord’s festivals?
⁶ Even if you escape destruction from Assyria,
    Egypt will conquer you, and Memphis^[a] will bury you.
Nettles will take over your treasures of silver;
    thistles will invade your ruined homes.

⁷ The time of Israel’s punishment has come;
    the day of payment is here.
    Soon Israel will know this all too well.
Because of your great sin and hostility,
    you say, “The prophets are crazy
    and the inspired men are fools!”
⁸ The prophet is a watchman over Israel^[b] for my God,
    yet traps are laid for him wherever he goes.
    He faces hostility even in the house of God.
⁹ The things my people do are as depraved
    as what they did in Gibeah long ago.
God will not forget.
    He will surely punish them for their sins.

Footnotes:
a. 9:6 Memphis was the capital of northern Egypt.
b. 9:8 Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel; also in 9:11, 13, 16.

¹⁰ I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.
¹¹ As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.
¹² Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
¹³ Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.
¹⁴ Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
¹⁵ All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.
¹⁶ Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even 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.

¹⁰ “I found Israel
Like grapes in the wilderness;
I saw your fathers
As the firstfruits on the fig tree in its first season.
But they went to Baal Peor,
And ^[a]separated themselves to that shame;
They became an abomination like the thing they loved.
¹¹ As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird—
No birth, no pregnancy, and no conception!
¹² Though they bring up their children,
Yet I will bereave them to the last man.
Yes, woe to them when I depart from them!
¹³ Just as I saw Ephraim like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place,
So Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer.”

¹⁴ Give them, O Lord—
What will You give?
Give them a miscarrying womb
And dry breasts!

¹⁵ “All their wickedness is in Gilgal,
For there I hated them.
Because of the evil of their deeds
I will drive them from My house;
I will love them no more.
All their princes are rebellious.
¹⁶ Ephraim is stricken,
Their root is dried up;
They shall bear no fruit.
Yes, were they to bear children,
I would kill the darlings of their womb.”

¹⁷ My God will cast them away,
Because they did not obey Him;
And they shall be wanderers among the nations.

Footnotes:
a. Hosea 9:10 Or dedicated

¹⁰ “When I found Israel,
    it was like finding grapes in the desert;
when I saw your ancestors,
    it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree.
But when they came to Baal Peor,
    they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol
    and became as vile as the thing they loved.
¹¹ Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird—
    no birth, no pregnancy, no conception.
¹² Even if they rear children,
    I will bereave them of every one.
Woe to them
    when I turn away from them!
¹³ I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre,
    planted in a pleasant place.
But Ephraim will bring out
    their children to the slayer.”

¹⁴ Give them, Lord—
    what will you give them?
Give them wombs that miscarry
    and breasts that are dry.

¹⁵ “Because of all their wickedness in Gilgal,
    I hated them there.
Because of their sinful deeds,
    I will drive them out of my house.
I will no longer love them;
    all their leaders are rebellious.
¹⁶ Ephraim is blighted,
    their root is withered,
    they yield no fruit.
Even if they bear children,
    I will slay their cherished offspring.”

¹⁷ My God will reject them
    because they have not obeyed him;
    they will be wanderers among the nations.

¹⁰ The Lord says, “O Israel, when I first found you,
    it was like finding fresh grapes in the desert.
When I saw your ancestors,
    it was like seeing the first ripe figs of the season.
But then they deserted me for Baal-peor,
    giving themselves to that shameful idol.
Soon they became vile,
    as vile as the god they worshiped.
¹¹ The glory of Israel will fly away like a bird,
    for your children will not be born
or grow in the womb
    or even be conceived.
¹² Even if you do have children who grow up,
    I will take them from you.
It will be a terrible day when I turn away
    and leave you alone.
¹³ I have watched Israel become as beautiful as Tyre.
    But now Israel will bring out her children for slaughter.”

¹⁴ O Lord, what should I request for your people?
    I will ask for wombs that don’t give birth
    and breasts that give no milk.

¹⁵ The Lord says, “All their wickedness began at Gilgal;
    there I began to hate them.
I will drive them from my land
    because of their evil actions.
I will love them no more
    because all their leaders are rebels.
¹⁶ The people of Israel are struck down.
    Their roots are dried up,
    and they will bear no more fruit.
And if they give birth,
    I will slaughter their beloved children.”

¹⁷ My God will reject the people of Israel
    because they will not listen or obey.
They will be wanderers,
    homeless among the nations.