
{1}1{/}

{I}1_{/}The word of 
Yahweh was addressed to 
Hosea son of Beeri, 
during the reign of 
Ussiah, Jotham, Ahaz and 
Hezekiah in Judah, and of 
Jeroboam son of Joash, in 
Israel.
TAKE A WIFE: SHE WILL 
BETRAY YOU{/}

{I}2_{/}When Yahweh began 
to speak through Hosea, 
the Lord said to him, 
"Go, take for your wife a 
woman involved in sacred 
prostitution and have 
children born of 
prostitution, for the 
land is wholeheartedly 
lapsing into prostitution 
and turning away from 
Yahweh."
{I}3_{/}So he married 
Gomer, daughter of 
Diblaim. And she was with 
child and bore a son. 
{I}4_{/}Yahweh told him, 
"Name him Jezreel, for I 
will soon punish the 
family of Jehu for the 
massacre at Jezreel. I 
will put an end to the 
kingdom of Israel. 
{I}5_{/}The days are 
coming when Israel will 
be defeated in the Valley 
of Jezreel."
{I}6_{/}Gomer was again 
with child and gave birth 
to a daughter. Yahweh 
said to Hosea, "Name her 
Unloved, for I will have 
no more love for the 
nation of Israel, nor 
will I forgive them." 
({I}7{/})
{I}8_{/}After weaning 
Unloved, Gomer was with 
child again and had 
another son. 
{I}9_{/}Yahweh said, 
"Name him Not-my-people, 
for you are not my 
people, nor AM - I for 
you."
{1}2{/}

{I}1_{/}Yet the people of 
Israel shall be like the 
sand of the sea, that 
cannot be measured or 
counted. In the place 
where it was said to 
them, "You are not my 
people," they shall be 
called "sons of the 
living God." {I}2_{/}The 
people of Judah and the 
people of Israel will be 
reunited, they will 
appoint one leader to 
rule over them, and they 
will come up out of the 
land. For there will be a 
great victory in Jezreel. 
{I}3_{/}You will call 
your brothers My-people, 
and your sisters My-
loved-ones.
{I}4_{/}Denounce your 
mother, denounce
- for she is not my 
wife,
nor am I her husband.
Let her rid her face of 
her ornaments
and her breasts of her 
lewd idols;
{I}5_{/}or I will strip 
her naked
as on the day of her 
birth;
I will reduce her to an 
arid land,
making of her a desert -
I will let her die of 
thirst.
{I}6_{/}How could I love 
her children?
They are children of 
adultery;
{I}7_{/}their mother has 
played the harlot
they are children of 
debauchery.
She said, "I will go 
after my lovers,
who give me my bread and 
water,
my wool and my flax, my 
oil and my drink."
{I}10_{/}Yet she would 
not acknowledge that it 
was I
who gave her the grain, 
the wine and the oil,
and the silver and gold
with which this people 
made their Baals.
{I}11_{/}So I will take 
back my grain when it 
ripens
and my new wine when it 
is ready;
I will take back my wool 
and my flax
which I gave to cover her 
nudity.
{I}12_{/}Before her 
lovers I will lay bare 
her shame
and no one can rescue her 
from my power.
{I}13_{/}I will bring an 
end to all her gladness,
her monthly feasts, 
sabbaths and 
celebrations.
{I}14_{/}I will lay waste 
her vines,
and her fig trees, for 
she said,
"My lovers gave them to 
me."
I will turn them into 
thickets
to be ravaged by wild 
beasts.
{I}15_{/}I will punish 
her for the feast days
when she brought burnt 
offerings to the Baals,
decked herself with her 
gaudy jewels,
ran after her lovers and 
forgot me, says Yahweh.
{I}8_{/}With thorns, 
therefore, I will block 
her path,
wall her and not let her 
find her way out.
{I}9_{/}Pursuing her 
lovers,
she will not overtake 
them;
looking for her lovers, 
she will not find them.
Then she will say, "I 
will go back to my 
husband
for I was better off then 
than now."
{I}16_{/}So I am going to 
allure her,
lead her once more into 
the desert,
where I can speak to her 
tenderly.
{I}17_{/}Then I will give 
back her vineyards,
make the Valley of Achor 
a door of hope.
There she will answer me 
as in her youth,
as when she came out of 
the land of Egypt.
{I}18_{/}On that day, 
Yahweh says,
you will call me my 
husband,
and never again: my Baal.
{I}19_{/}I will take the 
names of Baals from her 
lips
and no longer will they 
be invoked.
{I}20_{/}That day on her 
behalf I will make a 
covenant
with beasts of the field 
and birds of the air,
with creatures creeping 
upon the ground.
I will wipe out the sword 
and war in the land;
I will make people rest 
safe and secure.
{I}21_{/}You will be my 
spouse forever,
betrothed in justice and 
integrity;
we will be united in love 
and tenderness.
{I}22_{/}I will espouse 
you in faithfulness
and you will come to know 
Yahweh.
{I}23_{/}This is what 
Yahweh says of those 
days,
"I will be at peace with 
the heavens,
and they will respond to 
the earth;
{I}24_{/}the earth will 
respond to the grain, 
wine and oil,
which will come up to the 
expectation of Jezreel.
{I}25_{/}I will sow them 
for myself in the land;
I will show my love to 
Unloved;
I will say to Not-my-
people, "You are my 
people";
and they will answer, 
"You are my God."
{1}3{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh said to 
me, "Welcome once more 
this woman who makes love 
to others. Love her just 
as Yahweh loves his 
people who turn to other 
gods and offer raisin 
cakes to them."
{I}2_{/}So I bought her 
for fifteen pieces of 
silver and a whole 
measure of barley. 
{I}3_{/}Then I said to 
her, "You shall stay here 
with me many days without 
giving yourself to anyone 
and without deserting me 
for another man. And I 
too will stand aloof."

{I}4_{/}For the people of 
Israel shall be for many 
days without king or 
ruler, without sacrifice 
or sacred pillar, without 
divination or household 
idol.
{I}5_{/}Then the people 
of Israel shall turn 
back, looking for Yahweh, 
their God, and for David, 
their king. In the last 
days they will come 
respectfully to Yahweh 
and to his blessings.
{1}4{/}

{I}1_{/}Hear the word of 
Yahweh, Israel! for 
Yahweh has an accusation 
to bring against the 
inhabitants of this land. 
There is neither truth 
nor goodness nor 
knowledge of God in the 
country; {I}2_{/}only 
perjury, lies, 
murder,{I}_{/}theft and 
adultery, with continual 
bloodshed.
{I}3_{/}That is why the 
country is in mourning 
with all who live there 
wasting away; the beasts 
of the field, the birds 
of the air, even the fish 
are dying. {I}4_{/}But 
let no one apologize or 
accuse another, for it is 
you, priest, whom I 
single out!
{I}5_{/}You will stumble 
in broad daylight, and 
the prophet will fall 
with you into darkness; I 
will silence you. 
{I}6_{/}My people perish 
for want of knowledge. As 
you have dropped the 
Knowledge, I will drop 
you from my priesthood, 
and since you ignore the 
law of your God, I, too, 
will ignore your 
children.
{I}7_{/}All have offended 
me; they have exchanged 
me, their Glory, for 
idols, their shame. 
{I}8_{/}Since they eat of 
the sacrifices for sin, 
they like my people to 
sin.
{I}9_{/}Yet it will be 
for the people as for the 
priest; I shall punish 
both for their conduct 
and repay them for their 
deeds. {I}10_{/}They will 
eat and not be satisfied; 
they will multiply their 
prostitutions but remain 
without child, for they 
have no reverence for 
Yahweh. 
{I}11_{/}Harlotry, wine 
and liquors have taken 
hold of their hearts.
{I}12_{/}My people 
consult a wooden idol and 
rely on a rod for 
information. A spirit of 
adultery leads them 
astray and makes them 
unfaithful to their God. 
{I}13_{/}They sacrifice 
on the mountain tops and 
offer incense on the 
hills, under the oak, the 
poplar and the terebinth, 
wherever the shade is 
pleasant.
{I}14_{/}That is why, if 
your daughters turn to 
prostitution and your 
daughters-in-law to 
adultery, I will not 
punish them, for you 
yourselves go off with 
harlots and sacrifice 
with temple prostitutes. 
A senseless people 
destroys itself.
({I}15_{/}If Israel is a 
prostitute, there is no 
reason for Judah to sin. 
Do not go to Gilgal or 
Beth-aven; do not swear, 
"As Yahweh lives!")
{I}16_{/}Since Israel is 
as obstinate as a 
stubborn cow, will Yahweh 
pasture it gently as a 
lamb? {I}17_{/}Ephraim is 
devoted to idols, let 
Yahweh leave him alone! 
{I}18_{/}After being 
drunk with wine they go 
with prostitutes; they 
prefer their idols to 
their Glory. {I}19_{/}A 
whirlwind will sweep them 
away and they will have 
gained nothing with their 
sacrifices.
AGAINST THE ROYAL 
OFFICIALS{/}

{1}5{/}

{I}1_{/}Hear this, O 
priests! and you, people 
of Israel, pay attention! 
Hear, officials of the 
king for you are to be 
judged. You have been a 
snare at Mizpah and a net 
on Tabor, {I}2_{/}and a 
deep pit at Shittim, so I 
am to punish you all.
{I}3_{/}I know what 
Israel is like; he cannot 
hide from me. Ephraim is 
playing the harlot; 
Israel is a people which 
defiles itself.
{I}4_{/}Their deeds 
prevent them from 
returning to their God; a 
spirit of prostitution 
has taken hold of them 
and they do not know 
Yahweh. {I}5_{/}The pride 
of Israel is witness 
against him; this people 
are failing because of 
their guilt.
{I}6_{/}With their sheep 
and bulls they will go in 
search of Yahweh, but 
they will not find him 
for he has gone far from 
them. {I}7_{/}He found 
they were unfaithful and 
their children were not 
his. So now the destroyer 
will do away with them 
and their lands will be 
devastated.
{I}8_{/}Blow the horn at 
Gibeah, the trumpet at 
Ramah, raise the 
battlecry in Beth-aven! 
For Benjamin has been 
defeated, {I}9_{/}the day 
has come in which Ephraim 
is ruined. Let the tribes 
of Israel know that this 
is about to occur! 
{I}10_{/}The princes of 
Judah are like those who 
remove border stones and 
I shall pour out my anger 
on them like a flood. 
{I}11_{/}In the same way 
those of Ephraim are 
oppressors and trample 
justice.
{I}12_{/}I will be like a 
moth for Ephraim, like 
rot for Judah. 
{I}13_{/}Ephraim saw he 
was sick and Judah saw 
his ulcer. Then Ephraim 
turned to the great King 
of Assyria for help, but 
he will not cure you or 
heal your sores.
{I}14_{/}I will be like a 
leopard for Ephraim and 
like a lion for Judah. I 
will tear them to pieces 
and leave them. When I 
carry them off, no one 
will rescue them. 
{I}15_{/}Then I will go 
away and return to my 
place until they admit 
their guilt and come back 
to me, for in their 
anguish they will 
earnestly seek me. 
{1}6{/}

{I}1_{/}Come, let us 
return to Yahweh.
He who shattered us to 
pieces, will heal us as 
well;
he has struck us down, 
but he will bind up our 
wounds.
{I}2_{/}Two days later he 
will bring us back to 
life;
on the third day, he will 
raise us up,
and we shall live in his 
presence.
{I}3_{/}Let us strive to 
know Yahweh.
His coming is as certain 
as the dawn;
{I}5_{/}c{I}_{/}his 
judgment will burst forth 
like the light;
he will come to us as 
showers come,
like spring rain that 
waters the earth.

{I}4_{/}O Ephraim, what 
shall I do with you?
O Judah, how shall I deal 
with you?
This love of yours is 
like morning mist,
like morning dew that 
quickly disappears.
{I}5_{/}This is why I 
smote you through the 
prophets,
and have slain you by the 
words of my mouth.
{I}6_{/}For it is love 
that I desire, not 
sacrifice;
it is knowledge of God, 
not burnt offerings.
{I}7_{/}At Adam they 
broke my covenant; there 
they were unfaithful to 
me. {I}8_{/}Gilead is a 
city of evildoers, 
stained with footprints 
of blood. {I}9_{/}Like 
thieves in an ambush, so 
are the priests; they 
murder on the road to 
Shechem and commit 
adultery. {I}10_{/}In 
Bethel I saw their 
disgraceful conduct; that 
is where Ephraim played 
the harlot and was 
defiled. {I}11_{/}(For 
you, too, Judah, I have a 
harvest stored when I 
bring back my captive 
people and heal Israel.)
{1}7{/}

{I}1_{/}The sin of 
Ephraim appears clearly; 
the wickedness of Samaria 
is obvious. They cheat 
one another, they break 
into houses while bandits 
raid outside. 
{I}2_{/}They do not 
realize that I am mindful 
of their evil deeds. They 
are engulfed by their 
sins which are always 
before me. {I}3_{/}They 
amuse the king with their 
wickedness and the 
officials with their 
trickery. {I}4_{/}They 
are and remain 
adulterers, like an oven 
heated by a baker; he has 
not to stir the fire from 
the time the dough is 
kneaded until it rises.
{I}5_{/}On the day of the 
king his officials get 
drunk and the king joins 
hands with the revelers. 
{I}6_{/}In their plotting 
they burn like an oven; 
all night their anger 
smolders and in the 
morning blazes like a 
fire. {I}7_{/}They are 
all heated like an oven 
and they devour their own 
rulers; all their kings 
fall but none of them 
calls on me for help.
{I}8_{/}Ephraim mixes 
with other nations. He is 
like a half-baked loaf; 
{I}9_{/}the nations 
around him consume his 
strength but he is 
unaware of it. He has 
become old and he does 
not know it.
{I}10_{/}Israel's 
arrogance is witness 
against him but even so 
they will not turn back 
to Yahweh, their God, or 
search for him. 
{I}11_{/}Ephraim is like 
a silly pigeon, now 
calling on Egypt, now 
turning to Assyria. 
{I}12_{/}But wherever 
they turn I shall throw 
my net over them for they 
rebelled against me and 
they will fall like 
birds.
{I}13_{/}Woe to them who 
fled far from me; 
disgrace will fall on 
those who deceived me. I 
wanted to redeem them but 
they spoke evil of me. 
{I}14_{/}They did not 
call on me sincerely when 
they groaned on their 
beds because of their 
wheat and wine and turned 
to me.
{I}15_{/}When I made them 
successful and strong, 
they plotted evil against 
me. {I}16_{/}Now they 
turn to nothingness. They 
are deceptive as a 
twisted bow. Their 
leaders will fall by the 
sword because of their 
insolent talk; in the 
land of Egypt, people 
will make fun of them.
{1}8{/}

{I}1_{/}Sound the 
trumpet, sentry! Warn the 
people of Yahweh because 
they have broken my 
covenant and are 
unfaithful to my Law. 
{I}2_{/}They cry to me, 
"We, Israel, acknowledge 
you, O God." {I}3_{/}But 
Israel rejected what is 
right and this is why the 
enemy will hunt them 
down. {I}4_{/}Without my 
approval they set up 
kings and without my 
blessing appointed 
leaders. With their 
silver and gold they 
fashioned idols to their 
own ruin.
{I}5_{/}To me, Samaria, 
your calf is loathsome 
and my anger blazes 
against you. How long 
will you remain defiled? 
{I}6_{/}The calf is 
yours, Israel, a 
craftsman has made it; it 
is not God and will be 
broken into pieces. 
{I}7_{/}As they sow the 
wind, they will reap the 
whirlwind. Like the erect 
ear of corn they will 
bear no grain and produce 
no flour, or if they do, 
foreigners will devour 
it.
{I}8_{/}-{I}9_{/}Israel 
lived apart as a wild 
donkey, but he was eaten 
up. Now they are among 
pagans as a worthless 
object. Ephraim went to 
Assyria with gifts. 
{I}10_{/}Now they have 
been given up to the 
nations and I shall 
gather them. For in no 
time they have been left 
with no prophets, or 
kings, or leaders.
{I}11_{/}Ephraim built 
many altars but his 
altars made him more 
guilty. {I}12_{/}I wrote 
out for him the numerous 
precepts of my Law, but 
they look on them as 
coming from foreigners.
{I}13_{/}They offer 
sacrifices to me because 
they are those who eat 
the meat, but Yahweh does 
not accept their 
sacrifices for he is 
mindful of their sin and 
remembers their 
wickedness. They will 
return to Egypt.
{I}14_{/}Israel has 
forgotten his Maker and 
built palaces, but I will 
set fire to their towns 
and burn their palaces.
THE EXILE IS FORETOLD{/}

{1}9{/}

{I}1_{/}Do not rejoice 
and celebrate, Israel, 
like other nations, for 
you have deserted your 
God. You are fond of 
prostitution gifts 
and{I}_{/}run to every 
threshing floor where 
there is wheat. 
{I}2_{/}This is why 
threshing floors and vats 
will not feed you; new 
wine will disappoint you. 
{I}3_{/}No longer will 
you remain in Yahweh's 
land. Ephraim will return 
to Egypt - in fact to 
Assyria, where they will 
eat unclean food.
{I}4_{/}No more will they 
be able to pour out the 
wine offering for Yahweh 
and no longer will they 
sacrifice to him. They 
will have only bread for 
mourners; all who eat it 
will be defiled. This 
food will be for 
themselves and it will 
not be taken into the 
house of Yahweh.
{I}5_{/}What shall you do 
on the feast? You will 
leave but not for the 
pilgrimage to Yahweh; 
rather you will flee 
because of the invaders. 
{I}6_{/}Egypt will gather 
you and Memphis entomb 
you. Nettles will take 
over your treasures of 
silver and thorns creep 
over your tents.
{I}7_{/}The time of 
punishment has come, the 
day of retribution is 
here. The Israelites will 
know it. The prophets 
will go out of their 
mind; the seers will 
become like mad men 
because your defeat will 
be as great as your sins 
have been. 
{I}8_{/}Ephraim watches 
before my God; his 
prophets try to stop the 
enemy on every path to 
protect the house of 
their gods. {I}9_{/}Yet 
they are as corrupted as 
they were long ago in 
Gibeah. Yahweh will 
remember their wickedness 
and punish their sin.
{I}10_{/}I found Israel 
like wild grapes in the 
desert, I saw your 
fathers like the first 
fruits on a fig tree. But 
no sooner had they come 
to Baal-peor than they 
gave themselves to the 
idol; and they became as 
worthless as their dirty 
god. {I}11_{/}The glory 
of Ephraim will flee away 
like a bird; it has died 
stillborn, miscarried, 
not even conceived. 
{I}12_{/}Had they brought 
out children, I would 
take them off before they 
were adults, for woe to 
them when I abandon them!
{I}13_{/}I have seen that 
Ephraim will make his 
sons like a game; he will 
send his sons to be 
slaughtered. 
{I}14_{/}Give them, 
Yahweh, what you will; 
give them wombs that 
miscarry and breasts that 
are dry.
{I}15_{/}It is at Gilgal 
that their wickedness is 
seen. There I hated them. 
I will expel them from my 
House because of their 
evil conduct. I will love 
them no longer for all 
their leaders are rebels. 
{I}16_{/}Ephraim is 
blighted; his root is 
withered; he will produce 
no fruit. Even when they 
are with child, the child 
will die in the womb. 
{I}17_{/}My God will 
reject them because they 
did not listen; he will 
make them wander among 
the nations.
{1}10{/}

{I}1_{/}Israel was a 
spreading vine, rich in 
fruit. The more his fruit 
increased, the more 
altars he built; the more 
his land prospered, the 
more he adorned his 
sacred stones.
{I}2_{/}Their heart is 
divided! They shall pay 
for it. Their altars will 
be thrown down and their 
sacred stones broken to 
pieces.
{I}3_{/}Now they say, "We 
have no king (because we 
have no fear of God) and 
what good would a king do 
us?" {I}4_{/}Let them 
speak like this, take an 
oath and make covenants! 
Their sentence is growing 
like weeds in a plowed 
field.
{I}5_{/}The people of 
Samaria tremble for their 
idols of Bethel; they 
mourn for their calf as 
do the priests who were 
so proud of it. 
{I}6_{/}The glorious idol 
has been taken far away, 
carried off to Assyria as 
a tribute to the great 
king. Ephraim will reap 
the shame of this; the 
people of Israel will be 
disgraced. {I}7_{/}As for 
the king of Samaria, he 
has been carried off like 
foam on water.
{I}8_{/}The idolatrous 
high places - the sin of 
Israel - will be 
destroyed. Thorn and 
thistle will creep over 
the altars. Then they 
will say to the 
mountains: "Cover us," 
and to the hills: "Fall 
on us."
{I}9_{/}Since the days of 
Gibeah you have sinned 
and rebelled, Israel. 
Will not the battle 
against the evildoers of 
Gibeah overtake you 
again? {I}10_{/}I shall 
come and punish you, 
gathering the nations 
against you because of 
your double sin.
ADMONITION AND CALL TO 
CONVERSION{/}

{I}11_{/}Ephraim is a 
well-trained heifer fond 
of threshing; on her neck 
I shall place a yoke; 
Ephraim will be harnessed 
and plowed; the nation of 
Jacob will break the 
clods.
{I}12_{/}Plow new ground, 
sow for yourselves 
justice and reap the 
harvest of kindness. It 
is the time to go seeking 
Yahweh until he comes to 
rain salvation on you.
{I}13_{/}For your part 
you planted wickedness, 
reaped evil and ate the 
fruit of falsehood. When 
you rely on your own 
strength and your many 
warriors, confusion will 
overcome your people. 
{I}14_{/}See, your 
fortresses are destroyed 
as when Shalman 
devastated Beth-arbel; 
all was crushed. 
{I}15_{/}That is what 
will happen to you, 
people of Israel, because 
of your great evil. The 
storm will blow away the 
king of Israel. 
I CALLED MY SON OUT OF 
EGYPT{/}

{1}11{/}

{I}1_{/}I loved Israel 
when he was a child; out 
of Egypt I called my son. 
{I}2_{/}But the more I 
have called, the further 
have they gone from me - 
sacrificing to the Baals, 
burning incense to the 
idols.
{I}3_{/}Yet it was I who 
taught Ephraim to walk, 
taking them by the arms; 
yet little did they 
realize that it was I who 
cared for them. {I}4_{/}I 
led them with cords of 
human kindness, with 
leading strings of love, 
and I became for them as 
one who eases the yoke 
upon their neck and 
stoops down to feed them.
{I}5_{/}If they refuse to 
return to me, they will 
have to go back to Egypt 
and be ruled by an 
Assyrian king. 
{I}6_{/}Swords will flash 
in their cities, 
slaughtering their sons, 
putting an end to all 
their plans.
{I}7_{/}They insist on 
turning away from me; 
they cry out because the 
yoke is upon them and no 
one lifts it. {I}8_{/}How 
can I give you up, 
Ephraim? Can I abandon 
you like Admah or make 
you like Zeboiim? My 
heart is troubled within 
me and I am moved with 
compassion. {I}9_{/}I 
will not give vent to my 
great anger; I will not 
return to destroy Ephraim 
for I am God and not 
human. I am the Holy One 
in your midst and I do 
not want to come to you 
in anger.
{I}10_{/}You will follow 
Yahweh when he roars like 
a lion. When he roars his 
sons will come trembling 
from the west; 
{I}11_{/}they will come 
with fear like sparrows 
from Egypt, like doves 
from Assyria. For I will 
bring them to their homes 
again.
{1}12{/}

{I}1_{/}Ephraim has 
surrounded me with lies; 
Israel comes to me with 
deceit. They follow Baal 
and run after the 
sanctuaries. 
{I}2_{/}Ephraim feeds on 
wind, forever chasing the 
east wind, always more 
given to falsehood and 
violence. They have made 
a treaty with Assyria and 
brought oil to Egypt.
{I}3_{/}Yahweh has 
brought Jacob to trial. 
He will call him to 
account for his ways and 
repay his deeds.
{I}4_{/}In the womb he 
supplanted his brother 
and later he struggled 
with God, battling until 
he got the better of the 
angel. {I}5_{/}The angel, 
in fact, wept and pleaded 
with him! He met him at 
Bethel and there he spoke 
to him. {I}6_{/}(Yahweh, 
the God of armies, Yahweh 
is his Name.) 
{I}7_{/}You must return 
to your God, practice 
love and justice and 
trust in your God.)
{I}8_{/}Canaan has 
dishonest scales and 
likes to cheat. 
{I}9_{/}Ephraim boasts, 
"I have become rich and 
possess a fortune." Yet 
he will be left with 
nothing of what he has 
treasured for he was 
doing wrong. 
{I}10_{/}I am Yahweh, 
your God, since the days 
of Egypt; I will have you 
live in tents again as in 
the days of Meeting. 
{I}11_{/}Then I will 
speak to the prophets, 
give them many visions 
and teach you through 
their parables.
{I}12_{/}The people of 
Gilead are wicked; they 
are false. They offered 
sacrifices to bulls in 
Gilgal. This is why their 
altars will become ruins 
on a plowed field.
{I}13_{/}Jacob fled to 
the plains of Aram; 
Israel served to have a 
wife, and for her sake he 
cared for sheep. 
{I}14_{/}Yahweh, in turn 
brought Israel out of 
Egypt through a prophet; 
by means of this prophet 
he cared for them. 
{I}15_{/}Ephraim, 
nevertheless, angered him 
bitterly. The Lord will 
bring down on him the 
blood he shed and repay 
him for his contempt.
{1}13{/}

{I}1_{/}When Ephraim 
spoke all trembled; he 
was powerful in Israel 
but became guilty of Baal 
worship and ruined 
himself. {I}2_{/}They now 
continue to sin and make 
images from molten metal, 
fashioning idols from 
silver, the work of 
craftsmen. And they call 
them God! They offer 
sacrifices to them and 
humans adore calves! 
{I}3_{/}That is why they 
will be like morning mist 
and like dew which does 
not last, like the straw 
swept away on the 
threshing floor, like 
smoke escaping through a 
window.
{I}4_{/}But I am Yahweh, 
your God who brought you 
out of Egypt; you have no 
God other than me and no 
savior but me.
{I}5_{/}I knew you in the 
desert, in a land of 
scorching heat. 
{I}6_{/}When they had 
food they were satisfied 
and when they were 
satisfied they became 
proud and no longer 
remembered me. {I}7_{/}So 
I became for them like a 
leopard, like a tiger I 
watched out for them, 
{I}8_{/}and attacked them 
with the fury of a bear 
that has lost its cubs. I 
tore out their heart and 
like a lion I devoured 
them; like a savage beast 
I tore them apart.
{I}9_{/}Israel, you had 
in me a helper, will I be 
now your destroyer? 
{I}10_{/}Where is your 
king that he may rescue 
your cities? Where are 
your rulers about whom 
you said, "Give us a king 
and commanders." 
{I}11_{/}So in my anger I 
gave you a king and in my 
fury I took him away.
{I}12_{/}The wickedness 
of Ephraim is deep-set; 
his sin is stored up. 
{I}13_{/}The pangs of 
woman in labor come upon 
him. But the child is 
capricious. When it is 
time he does not leave 
the womb.
{I}14_{/}Will I ransom 
them from the power of 
the netherworld? Will I 
rescue them from death? 
Not at all! Where, O 
death, are your plagues? 
Where, O netherworld, is 
your venom? Yet my eyes 
will not look with 
compassion {I}15_{/}on 
the one who excelled 
among his brothers. 
Yahweh will send the east 
wind from the desert to 
dry up his sources of 
water and parch his 
fountains, to strip him 
of all his treasures.
{1}14{/}

{I}1_{/}Samaria is guilty 
for she rebelled against 
her God. They will fall 
by the sword, their 
little ones will be 
crushed and women with 
child ripped open.
{I}2_{/}Return to your 
God Yahweh, O Israel!
Your sins have caused 
your downfall.
{I}3_{/}Return to Yahweh 
with humble words. Say to 
him,
"Oh you who show 
compassion to the 
fatherless
forgive our debt, be 
appeased.
Instead of bulls and 
sacrifices,
accept the praise from 
our lips.
{I}4_{/}Assyria will not 
save us:
no longer shall we look 
for horses
nor ever again shall we 
say 'Our gods'
to the work of our 
hands."
{I}5_{/}I will heal their 
wavering
and love them with all my 
heart
for my anger has turned 
from them.
{I}6_{/}I shall be like 
dew to Israel
like the lily will he 
blossom.
Like a cedar he will send 
down his roots;
{I}7_{/}his young shoots 
will grow and spread.
His splendor will be like 
an olive tree,
his fragrance, like a 
Lebanon cedar.
{I}8_{/}They will dwell 
in my shade again,
they will flourish like 
the grain,
they will blossom like a 
vine,
and their fame will be 
like Lebanon wine.
{I}9_{/}What would 
Ephraim do with idols,
when it is I who hear and 
make him prosper?
I am like an ever-green 
cypress tree;
all your fruitfulness 
comes from me.
{I}10_{/}Who is wise 
enough to grasp all this?
Who is discerning and 
will understand?
Straight are the ways of 
Yahweh:
the just walk in them, 
but the sinners stumble.

