Judgment of Israel’s Sin

1 Donot rejoice, O Israel, with joy likeotherpeoples,

For you have played the harlot against your God.

You have made loveforhire 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 intheLord’s land,

But Ephraim shall return to Egypt,

Andshall eat uncleanthingsin Assyria.

4 They shall not offer wineofferingsto theLord,

Norshall theirsacrifices be pleasing to Him.

Itshallbelike bread of mourners to them;

All who eat it shall be defiled.

For their breadshallbefor theirownlife;

It shall not come into the house of theLord.

5 What will you do in the appointed day,

And in the day of the feast of theLord?

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;

Thornsshallbein their tents.

7 Thedays of punishment have come;

The days of recompense have come.

Israel knows!

The prophetisafool,

The spiritual manisinsane,

Because of the greatness of your iniquity and great enmity.

8 Thewatchman of Ephraimiswith my God;

But the prophetisa fowler’s snare in all his ways—

Enmity in the house of his God.

9 They are deeply corrupted,

As in the days ofGibeah.

He will remember their iniquity;

He will punish their sins.

10 “I found Israel

Like grapes in thewilderness;

I saw your fathers

As thefirstfruits on the fig tree in its first season.

Butthey went toBaal Peor,

And separated themselvestothatshame;

They became an abomination like the thing they loved.

11 AsforEphraim, 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 Justas I saw Ephraim like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place,

So Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer.”

14 Give them, OLord—

What will You give?

Give thema miscarrying womb

And dry breasts!

15 “All their wickednessisinGilgal,

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 princesarerebellious.

16 Ephraim isstricken,

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 willcast them away,

Because they did not obey Him;

And they shall bewanderers among the nations.