⁸ “Sound the trumpet^(A) in Gibeah,^(B)
    the horn in Ramah.^(C)
Raise the battle cry in Beth Aven^[a];^(D)
    lead on, Benjamin.
⁹ Ephraim will be laid waste^(E)
    on the day of reckoning.^(F)
Among the tribes of Israel
    I proclaim what is certain.^(G)
10 Judah’s leaders are like those
    who move boundary stones.^(H)
I will pour out my wrath^(I) on them
    like a flood of water.
¹¹ Ephraim is oppressed,
    trampled in judgment,
    intent on pursuing idols.^[b](J)
12 I am like a moth^(K) to Ephraim,
    like rot^(L) to the people of Judah.

¹³ “When Ephraim^(M) saw his sickness,
    and Judah his sores,
then Ephraim turned to Assyria,^(N)
    and sent to the great king for help.^(O)
But he is not able to cure^(P) you,
    not able to heal your sores.^(Q)
14 For I will be like a lion^(R) to Ephraim,
    like a great lion to Judah.
I will tear them to pieces^(S) and go away;
    I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them.^(T)
15 Then I will return to my lair^(U)
    until they have borne their guilt^(V)
    and seek my face^(W)—
in their misery^(X)
    they will earnestly seek me.^(Y)”

⁴ “What can I do with you, Ephraim?^(AI)
    What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist,
    like the early dew that disappears.^(AJ)
5 Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets,
    I killed you with the words of my mouth^(AK)—
    then my judgments go forth like the sun.^[c](AL)
6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,^(AM)
    and acknowledgment^(AN) of God rather than burnt offerings.^(AO)
7 As at Adam,^[d] they have broken the covenant;^(AP)
    they were unfaithful^(AQ) to me there.
⁸ Gilead is a city of evildoers,^(AR)
    stained with footprints of blood.
⁹ As marauders lie in ambush for a victim,^(AS)
    so do bands of priests;
they murder^(AT) on the road to Shechem,
    carrying out their wicked schemes.^(AU)
10 I have seen a horrible^(AV) thing in Israel:
    There Ephraim is given to prostitution,
    Israel is defiled.^(AW)

¹¹ “Also for you, Judah,
    a harvest^(AX) is appointed.

“Whenever I would restore the fortunes^(AY) of my people,

³ “They delight the king with their wickedness,
    the princes with their lies.^(BG)
4 They are all adulterers,^(BH)
    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,^(BI)
    and he joins hands with the mockers.^(BJ)
6 Their hearts are like an oven;^(BK)
    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,^(BL)
    and none of them calls^(BM) on me.

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

¹¹ “Ephraim is like a dove,^(BS)
    easily deceived and senseless—
now calling to Egypt,^(BT)
    now turning to Assyria.^(BU)
12 When they go, I will throw my net^(BV) 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^(BW) to them,
    because they have strayed^(BX) from me!
Destruction to them,
    because they have rebelled against me!
I long to redeem them
    but they speak about me^(BY) falsely.^(BZ)
14 They do not cry out to me from their hearts^(CA)
    but wail on their beds.
They slash themselves,^[e] appealing to their gods
    for grain and new wine,^(CB)
    but they turn away from me.^(CC)
15 I trained^(CD) them and strengthened their arms,
    but they plot evil^(CE) against me.
¹⁶ They do not turn to the Most High;^(CF)
    they are like a faulty bow.^(CG)
Their leaders will fall by the sword
    because of their insolent^(CH) words.
For this they will be ridiculed^(CI)
    in the land of Egypt.^(CJ)

² Let Israel say:^(D)
    “His love endures forever.”^(E)
3 Let the house of Aaron say:^(F)
    “His love endures forever.”
⁴ Let those who fear the Lord^(G) say:
    “His love endures forever.”

⁵ When hard pressed,^(H) I cried to the Lord;
    he brought me into a spacious place.^(I)
6 The Lord is with me;^(J) I will not be afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?^(K)
7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper.^(L)
    I look in triumph on my enemies.^(M)

⁸ It is better to take refuge in the Lord^(N)
    than to trust in humans.^(O)
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in princes.^(P)
10 All the nations surrounded me,
    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.^(Q)
11 They surrounded me^(R) on every side,^(S)
    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
¹² They swarmed around me like bees,^(T)
    but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;^(U)
    in the name of the Lord I cut them down.^(V)
13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
    but the Lord helped me.^(W)
14 The Lord is my strength^(X) and my defense^[a];
    he has become my salvation.^(Y)

¹⁵ Shouts of joy^(Z) and victory
    resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand^(AA) has done mighty things!^(AB)
16     The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
    the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
¹⁷ I will not die^(AC) but live,
    and will proclaim^(AD) what the Lord has done.
¹⁸ The Lord has chastened^(AE) me severely,
    but he has not given me over to death.^(AF)
19 Open for me the gates^(AG) of the righteous;
    I will enter^(AH) and give thanks to the Lord.
²⁰ This is the gate of the Lord^(AI)
    through which the righteous may enter.^(AJ)
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;^(AK)
    you have become my salvation.^(AL)

²² The stone^(AM) the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;^(AN)
23 the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous^(AO) in our eyes.
²⁴ The Lord has done it this very day;
    let us rejoice today and be glad.^(AP)

²⁵ Lord, save us!^(AQ)
    Lord, grant us success!

²⁶ Blessed is he who comes^(AR) in the name of the Lord.
    From the house of the Lord we bless you.^[b](AS)
27 The Lord is God,^(AT)
    and he has made his light shine^(AU) on us.
With boughs in hand,^(AV) join in the festal procession
    up^[c] to the horns of the altar.^(AW)

²⁸ You are my God, and I will praise you;
    you are my God,^(AX) and I will exalt^(AY) you.

²⁹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.