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Hosea 5-7
New International Reader's Version
Hosea 5-7
New International Reader's Version
The Lord Judges Israel
5 “Listen to me, you priests!
Pay attention, people of Israel!
Listen, you members of the royal family!
Here is my decision against you.
You have been like a trap at Mizpah.
You have been like a net spread out on Mount Tabor.
2 You refuse to obey me.
You are knee-deep in killing.
So I will punish all of you.
3 I know all about the people of Ephraim.
What Israel is doing is not hidden from me.
Now they have joined themselves to other gods.
They have made themselves ‘unclean.’
4 “They can’t return to me
because they have done so many evil things.
In their hearts they long to act like prostitutes.
They do not recognize me as the Lord.
5 Israel’s pride proves that they are guilty.
The people of Ephraim trip and fall because they have sinned.
Judah falls down along with them.
6 Israel will come to worship the Lord.
They will bring their animals to offer as sacrifices.
But they will not find him.
He has turned away from them.
7 They are not faithful to the Lord.
Their children are not his.
When they celebrate their New Moon feasts,
he will destroy their fields.
8 “My people, blow trumpets in Gibeah!
Blow horns in Ramah!
Shout the battle cry in Bethel!
Say to the people of Benjamin, ‘Lead on into battle!’
9 The people of Ephraim will be completely destroyed
when it is time for me to punish them.
They can be sure it will happen.
I am announcing it among their tribes.
10 Judah’s leaders have stolen some land.
They have moved their borders farther north.
So I will pour out my anger on them
like a flood of water.
11 Ephraim will soon be crushed.
The Assyrians will stomp all over them.
It will happen because they have made up their minds
to chase after other gods.
12 I will be like a moth to Ephraim.
I will cause Judah to rot away.
13 “The people of Ephraim saw how sick they were.
The people of Judah saw that they were wounded.
Then Ephraim turned to Assyria for help.
They sent gifts to the great King Tiglath-Pileser.
But he is not able to make you well.
He can’t heal your wounds.
14 I will be like a lion to Ephraim.
I will attack Judah like a powerful lion.
I will tear them to pieces.
I will drag them off.
Then I will leave them.
No one will be able to save them.
15 I will go back to my lion’s den.
I will stay there until they pay the price for their sin.
Then they will turn to me.
They will suffer so much
that they will really want me to help them.”
Israel Refuses to Turn Away From Their Sins
6 The people say, “Come.
Let us return to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces.
But he will heal us.
He has wounded us.
But he’ll bandage our wounds.
2 After two days he will give us new life.
On the third day he’ll make us like new again.
Then we will enjoy his blessing.
3 Let’s recognize him as the Lord.
Let’s keep trying to know him.
You can be sure the sun will rise.
And you can be just as sure the Lord will appear.
He will come to renew us like the winter rains.
He will be like the spring rains that water the earth.”
4 The Lord says, “Ephraim, what can I do with you?
And what can I do with you, Judah?
Your love for me vanishes like the morning mist.
It soon disappears like the early dew.
5 So I used the words of my prophets to cut you in pieces.
I used my words to put you to death.
Then my judgments blazed out like the sun.
6 I want mercy and not sacrifice.
I want you to recognize me as God
instead of bringing me burnt offerings.
7 Just as at the city of Adam, they disobeyed me,
they have broken the covenant I made with them.
They were not faithful to me there.
8 Ramoth Gilead is a city where sinful people live.
It is stained with footprints of blood.
9 On the road to Shechem, groups of priests act like robbers.
They hide and wait to attack people.
They murder them.
So they carry out their evil plans.
10 I have seen a horrible thing in Israel.
The people of Ephraim are unfaithful to their own God.
The people of Israel are ‘unclean.’
11 “People of Judah, I have also appointed a time
for you to be destroyed.
“I would like to bless my people
with great success again.
7 I would like to heal Israel.
But when I try to, Ephraim’s sins
are brought out into the open.
The crimes of Samaria
are made known to everyone.
The people tell lies.
They break into houses and steal.
They rob others in the streets.
2 But they do not realize
that I remember all the evil things they do.
Their sins pile up and cover them.
I am always aware of their sins.
3 “Their evil conduct even makes the king glad.
Their lies make the princes happy.
4 But all the people are unfaithful to the king.
Their anger against him burns
like the coals in an oven.
The baker does not even need to stir up the fire
until the dough is ready.”
5 On special days to honor our king,
the princes get drunk with wine.
And the king enjoys the party.
He joins hands with those
who pretend to be faithful to him.
6 Their hearts are as hot as an oven.
They make evil plans to get rid of him.
Their anger burns like a slow fire all night.
In the morning it blazes out like a flaming fire.
7 All of them are as hot as an oven.
They destroy their rulers.
All their kings fall from power.
But none of them calls on the Lord for help.
8 The people of Ephraim mix with the nations.
They are like a thin loaf of bread
that is baked on only one side.
9 People from other lands make them weaker and weaker.
But they don’t realize it.
Their hair is becoming gray.
But they don’t even notice it.
10 The pride of Israel proves that they are guilty.
But in spite of everything,
they don’t return to the Lord their God.
They don’t go to him for help.
11 The Lord says,
“The people of Ephraim are like a dove.
They are easily tricked.
They do not have any sense at all.
First they call out to Egypt for help.
Then they turn to Assyria.
12 When they send for help,
I will throw my net over them.
I will capture them like the birds in the sky.
When I hear them gathering like birds,
I will catch them.
13 How terrible it will be for them!
They have wandered away from me.
So they will be destroyed.
That’s because they have refused to obey me.
I long to save them.
But they tell lies about me.
14 They do not cry out to me from their hearts.
Instead, they just lie on their beds and sob.
They cut themselves when they pray to their gods
for grain and fresh wine.
But they turn away from me.
15 I brought them up and made them strong.
But they make evil plans against me.
16 I am the Most High God. But they do not turn to me.
They are like a bow that does not shoot straight.
Their leaders will be killed by swords.
They will die because they have spoken too proudly.
The people of Egypt
will make fun of them.”
Hosea 5-7
New International Version
Hosea 5-7
New International Version
Judgment Against Israel
5 “Hear this, you priests!
Pay attention, you Israelites!
Listen, royal house!
This judgment(A) is against you:
You have been a snare(B) at Mizpah,
a net(C) spread out on Tabor.
2 The rebels are knee-deep in slaughter.(D)
I will discipline all of them.(E)
3 I know all about Ephraim;
Israel is not hidden(F) from me.
Ephraim, you have now turned to prostitution;
Israel is corrupt.(G)
4 “Their deeds do not permit them
to return(H) to their God.
A spirit of prostitution(I) is in their heart;
they do not acknowledge(J) the Lord.
5 Israel’s arrogance testifies(K) against them;
the Israelites, even Ephraim, stumble(L) in their sin;
Judah also stumbles with them.(M)
6 When they go with their flocks and herds
to seek the Lord,(N)
they will not find him;
he has withdrawn(O) himself from them.
7 They are unfaithful(P) to the Lord;
they give birth to illegitimate(Q) children.
When they celebrate their New Moon feasts,(R)
he will devour[a](S) their fields.
8 “Sound the trumpet(T) in Gibeah,(U)
the horn in Ramah.(V)
Raise the battle cry in Beth Aven[b];(W)
lead on, Benjamin.
9 Ephraim will be laid waste(X)
on the day of reckoning.(Y)
Among the tribes of Israel
I proclaim what is certain.(Z)
10 Judah’s leaders are like those
who move boundary stones.(AA)
I will pour out my wrath(AB) on them
like a flood of water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed,
trampled in judgment,
intent on pursuing idols.[c](AC)
12 I am like a moth(AD) to Ephraim,
like rot(AE) to the people of Judah.
13 “When Ephraim(AF) saw his sickness,
and Judah his sores,
then Ephraim turned to Assyria,(AG)
and sent to the great king for help.(AH)
But he is not able to cure(AI) you,
not able to heal your sores.(AJ)
14 For I will be like a lion(AK) to Ephraim,
like a great lion to Judah.
I will tear them to pieces(AL) and go away;
I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them.(AM)
15 Then I will return to my lair(AN)
until they have borne their guilt(AO)
and seek my face(AP)—
in their misery(AQ)
they will earnestly seek me.(AR)”
Israel Unrepentant
6 “Come, let us return(AS) to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces(AT)
but he will heal us;(AU)
he has injured us
but he will bind up our wounds.(AV)
2 After two days he will revive us;(AW)
on the third day(AX) he will restore(AY) us,
that we may live in his presence.
3 Let us acknowledge the Lord;
let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,(AZ)
like the spring rains that water the earth.(BA)”
4 “What can I do with you, Ephraim?(BB)
What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist,
like the early dew that disappears.(BC)
5 Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets,
I killed you with the words of my mouth(BD)—
then my judgments go forth like the sun.[d](BE)
6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,(BF)
and acknowledgment(BG) of God rather than burnt offerings.(BH)
7 As at Adam,[e] they have broken the covenant;(BI)
they were unfaithful(BJ) to me there.
8 Gilead is a city of evildoers,(BK)
stained with footprints of blood.
9 As marauders lie in ambush for a victim,(BL)
so do bands of priests;
they murder(BM) on the road to Shechem,
carrying out their wicked schemes.(BN)
10 I have seen a horrible(BO) thing in Israel:
There Ephraim is given to prostitution,
Israel is defiled.(BP)
11 “Also for you, Judah,
a harvest(BQ) is appointed.
“Whenever I would restore the fortunes(BR) of my people,
7 1 whenever I would heal Israel,
the sins of Ephraim are exposed
and the crimes of Samaria revealed.(BS)
They practice deceit,(BT)
thieves break into houses,(BU)
bandits rob in the streets;(BV)
2 but they do not realize
that I remember(BW) all their evil deeds.(BX)
Their sins engulf them;(BY)
they are always before me.
3 “They delight the king with their wickedness,
the princes with their lies.(BZ)
4 They are all adulterers,(CA)
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,(CB)
and he joins hands with the mockers.(CC)
6 Their hearts are like an oven;(CD)
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,(CE)
and none of them calls(CF) on me.
8 “Ephraim mixes(CG) with the nations;
Ephraim is a flat loaf not turned over.
9 Foreigners sap his strength,(CH)
but he does not realize it.
His hair is sprinkled with gray,
but he does not notice.
10 Israel’s arrogance testifies against him,(CI)
but despite all this
he does not return(CJ) to the Lord his God
or search(CK) for him.
11 “Ephraim is like a dove,(CL)
easily deceived and senseless—
now calling to Egypt,(CM)
now turning to Assyria.(CN)
12 When they go, I will throw my net(CO) 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(CP) to them,
because they have strayed(CQ) from me!
Destruction to them,
because they have rebelled against me!
I long to redeem them
but they speak about me(CR) falsely.(CS)
14 They do not cry out to me from their hearts(CT)
but wail on their beds.
They slash themselves,[f] appealing to their gods
for grain and new wine,(CU)
but they turn away from me.(CV)
15 I trained(CW) them and strengthened their arms,
but they plot evil(CX) against me.
16 They do not turn to the Most High;(CY)
they are like a faulty bow.(CZ)
Their leaders will fall by the sword
because of their insolent(DA) words.
For this they will be ridiculed(DB)
in the land of Egypt.(DC)
Footnotes
- Hosea 5:7 Or Now their New Moon feasts / will devour them and
- Hosea 5:8 Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God).
- Hosea 5:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Hosea 6:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
- Hosea 6:7 Or Like Adam; or Like human beings
- Hosea 7:14 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts They gather together
New International Reader's Version (NIRV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.