Bible in 90 Days
Daniel’s Prayer
9 “In the first year of the reign of Darius son of Ahasuerus, a descendant of the Medes, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans[a]— 2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, noted in the Scripture the total years that were assigned[b] by the message from the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem: 70 years.
3 “So I turned my attention to the Lord God, seeking him in prayer and supplication, accompanied with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God, confessing and saying:
‘Lord! Great and awesome God, who keeps his[c] covenant and gracious love for those who love him and obey his commandments, 5 we’ve sinned, we’ve practiced evil, we’ve acted wickedly, and we’ve rebelled, turning away from your commands and from your regulations. 6 Furthermore, we haven’t listened to your servants, the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, to our officials, to our ancestors, and to all of the people of the land.
7 ‘To you, Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us, open humiliation—even to this day, to the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, both those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the lands to which you drove them because of their unfaithful acts that they committed against you.
8 ‘Open humiliation belongs to us, Lord, to our kings, our officials, and our ancestors, because we’ve sinned against you. 9 But to the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we’ve rebelled against him 10 and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws that he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 And all Israel flouted your Law, turning aside from it and not obeying your voice. Because we’ve sinned against him, the curse has been poured upon us, along with the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God.
12 ‘He has confirmed his accusation[d] that he spoke against us and against our rulers who governed us by bringing upon us great calamity, because nowhere in the universe[e] has anything been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. 13 As it’s written in the Law of Moses,[f] all this calamity has befallen us, but we still haven’t sought the Lord our God by turning from our lawlessness to pay attention to your truth. 14 So the Lord watched for the right time to bring the calamity upon us, because the Lord our God is righteous regarding everything he does, but we have not obeyed his voice.
15 ‘And now, Lord our God, who brought your people from the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made a name for yourself that remains to this day—we’ve sinned. We’ve acted wickedly. 16 Lord, in view of all your righteous acts, please turn your anger and wrath away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. Because of our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people have become an embarrassment to all of those around us.
17 ‘So now, O[g] God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his requests, and look with favor on your desolate sanctuary, for the sake of the Lord. 18 Turn your ear and listen, O God. Open your eyes and look at our desolation and at the city that is called by your name. We’re not presenting our requests before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great compassion.
19 ‘Lord, listen!
‘Lord, forgive!
‘Lord, take note and take action!
‘For your own sake, don’t delay, my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.’”
Gabriel’s Answer: The Seventy Weeks
20 “While I was still speaking in prayer, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and placing my request in the presence of the Lord my God on behalf of the holy mountain of God— 21 while I was still speaking, Gabriel, the man of God whom I had seen in the previous vision, appeared to me about the time of the evening offering. 22 He gave instructions, and this is what he spoke to me:
‘Daniel, I’ve now come to give you insight and understanding. 23 Because you’re highly regarded, the answer was issued when you began your prayer, and I’ve come to tell you. Pay attention to my message and you’ll understand the vision. 24 Seventy weeks[h] have been decreed concerning your people and your holy city: to restrain transgression, to put an end to sin, to make atonement for lawlessness, to establish everlasting righteousness, to conclude vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place. 25 So be informed and discern that seven weeks and 62 weeks will elapse[i] from the issuance of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed Commander.[j] The plaza and moat will be rebuilt, though in troubled times. 26 Then after the 62 weeks, the anointed one[k] will be cut down (but not for himself).[l] Then the people of the Coming Commander[m] will destroy both the city and the Sanctuary. Its ending will come like a flood, and until the end there will be war, with desolations having been decreed. 27 He will make a binding covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he will suspend both the sacrifice and grain offerings. Destructive people will cause desolation on the uttermost edge[n] of the Sanctuary[o] until it is complete and what has been decreed is poured out on the desolator.’”
Daniel’s Vision
10 In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar). The message was trustworthy and concerned a great conflict. He understood it and had insight concerning the vision.
2 “At that time I, Daniel, had been mourning for three straight weeks.[p] 3 I ate no fancy foods—neither meat nor wine entered my mouth. Furthermore, I didn’t use any ointment until the end of the entire three weeks.[q] 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was beside the bank of the great Tigris[r] River, 5 I lifted up my eyes to look, and to my surprise, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was encircled with gold from Uphaz! 6 His body was like beryl,[s] his face flashed like lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and legs were like polished bronze, and his speech roared[t] like that of a crowd.
7 “Now I, Daniel, was the only one to receive the vision—the men who were with me didn’t see it.[u] However, an enormous fear overwhelmed them, so they ran away to hide, 8 and I was left alone to observe this magnificent vision. Nevertheless, no strength remained in me—my face lost its color, and I became weak. 9 As I listened to the sound of his words, I fell down on my face unconscious, with my face to the ground.”
Daniel is Given Understanding
10 “All of a sudden, a hand touched me and lifted me upon my hands and knees. 11 He told me, ‘Daniel, man highly regarded, understand the message that I’m about to relate to you. Stand up, because I’ve been sent to you.’ When he spoke this statement to me, I stood there trembling.
12 “‘Don’t be afraid, Daniel,’ he told me, ‘because from the first day that you committed yourself to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I’ve come in answer to[v] your prayers. 13 However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for 21 days. Then all of a sudden, Michael, one of the chief angels,[w] came to assist me! I had been detained there near the kings of Persia. 14 Now I’ve come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the days to come, because the vision pertains to those days.’
15 “After he had spoken to me like this, I bowed my face to the ground, unable to speak. 16 But suddenly someone who resembled a human being touched my lips, so addressing the one who was standing in front of me, I opened my mouth and said, ‘Sir,[x] I’m overwhelmed with anguish by this vision. I have no strength left.[y] 17 So how can a servant of my lord talk with someone like you, sir?[z] And as for me, there’s no strength left in me, and I can hardly breathe.’
18 “Then this person who looked like a man touched me again and strengthened me 19 and said, ‘Don’t be afraid, man highly regarded. Be at peace, and be strong.’
“As soon as he spoke to me, I gained strength and replied, ‘Sir, please[aa] speak, now that you’ve strengthened me.’
20 “Then he said, ‘Do you understand why I came to you? Soon I’ll return to fight the prince of Persia. I’m going forth to war—and take note—the prince of Greece[ab] is coming! 21 I’ll inform you about what has been recorded in the Book of Truth. No one stands firmly with me against these opponents,[ac] except Michael your prince. 11 1 In year one of King Darius the Mede, I arose to fortify and strengthen him.’”
International Conflicts to Come
2 “‘Now I’ll tell you the truth: Pay attention! Three more kings will arise in Persia. Then a fourth will gain more than them all. As soon as he gains power by means of his wealth, he’ll stir up everyone against the Grecian kingdoms.
3 “‘A mighty king will come to power, and he’ll rule with awesome energy, doing whatever he pleases. 4 However, after he has come to power, his kingdom will be broken and parceled out in all directions.[ad] It won’t go to his succeeding descendants, nor will its power match how he ruled, because his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to successors besides them.
5 “‘The southern king will become strong, along with one of his officials, who will become stronger than he and rule over his own realm with great power. 6 After a number of years, they’ll become allies and the daughter of the southern king will go to the northern king in order to craft alliances. But she won’t remain in power, nor will he retain his power. Instead, she’ll be surrendered, along with her entourage, the one who fathered her, and the one who supported her at that time.
7 “‘One of her family line will replace him. He’ll come against the army and enter the fortress of the northern king, conquering them and becoming victorious. 8 He’ll also take their gods, their molten images, and their valuable vessels of silver and gold into Egypt as hostages. He’ll avoid the northern king for a number of years. 9 Then he’ll come against the realm of the southern king and then return to his own territory. 10 His sons will prepare for war, assembling an army of considerable force. One of them will come on forcefully, overflowing, passing through, and waging war up to his own fortress.
11 “‘The southern king will fly into a rage and march out to fight the northern king. He’ll gather a large army, but that army will be handed over to him. 12 When that army has been defeated, he’ll become overconfident and slaughter many thousands, but he won’t succeed. 13 The northern king will return and raise a greater army than before. After a few years, he’ll advance with a great force and with a vast amount of armaments.’”
Rebellion against the Southern King
14 “‘During those years, many will rebel against the southern king. The more violent ones among your people will rebel in order to fulfill this vision, but they will fail. 15 Then the northern king will come, erect a siege ramp, and capture a fortified city. The southern forces won’t prevail—not even with their best troops—and they’ll have no strength to take a stand.
16 “‘However, the one who invades him will do whatever he wants to do. No one will oppose him. He’ll establish himself in the Beautiful Land, wielding devastating power. 17 He’ll decide to come with the full power of his kingdom, bringing with him an alliance that he’ll implement. He’ll give him a daughter in marriage to overthrow it, but it won’t succeed or work out for him. 18 Then he’ll turn his attention to the coastal lands[ae] and will capture many. But a commander will put an end to his insolence, repaying him for his scorn. 19 He’ll turn his attention toward the fortresses in his own territory, but he’ll stumble and fall, and won’t endure. 20 His successor will send out a tax collector for royal splendor, but in a short period of time he’ll be shattered, though neither in anger nor in battle.’”
The Despicable King
21 “‘In his place there will arise a despicable person, upon whom no royal authority has been conferred, but he’ll invade in a time of tranquility, taking over the kingdom through deception. 22 Overwhelming forces will be carried away before him, along with the Commander-in-Chief[af] of the covenant. 23 From the time that an alliance is made with him, he’ll act deceitfully, and he will go up and take power with only a small group of nations. 24 He’ll invade the most prosperous areas of the province during a time of tranquility, accomplishing what neither his predecessors nor his ancestors ever could. He’ll distribute war spoils, booty, and wealth to them, and he’ll plot the overthrow of fortresses, though only for a time. 25 He’ll encourage himself against the southern king by raising[ag] a large army. As a result, the southern king will mobilize for war with a large and powerful army, but he won’t succeed because they will devise elaborate schemes against him. 26 His own security detail[ah] will undermine him, his army will be swept away, and many will fall and be killed in battle.[ai] 27 Now as for the two kings, their intentions will be evil, and they’ll promote deception at their dinner table, but none of this will succeed, because the end won’t have come yet. 28 Then he’ll return to his homeland with great wealth, will focus his attention against the holy covenant, and will take action as he returns to his land.’”
Desecration of the Sanctuary
29 “‘At the scheduled time he’ll return, moving southward, but the end result won’t be as before, 30 because ships will come against him from the Mediterranean islands.[aj] Disheartened, he’ll return, incited to vehemence against the holy covenant, and he’ll take action. As he returns, he’ll show deference to those who abandon the holy covenant. 31 Armed forces will arise from his midst, and they’ll desecrate the fortified Sanctuary, abolish the daily sacrifice, and establish the destructive desecration. 32 Through flattery he’ll corrupt those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but people who know their God will be strong and take action. 33 Insightful people[ak] will impart understanding to many, though they’ll fall by sword, by fire, by captivity, and as war booty for a while.[al] 34 When they fall, they’ll be given some relief, but many will join them by pretending to be sympathetic to their cause. 35 Some of the insightful will fall so they may be refined, purged, and purified until the time of the end, since it will surely come about.’”
The King Who Calls Himself God
36 “‘The king will do as he pleases. He’ll exalt and magnify himself above every god, speaking amazing things against the God of Gods. He’ll succeed until the indignation is completed, because what has been determined must be carried out. 37 He’ll recognize neither the gods of his ancestors nor those desired by women—he won’t recognize any god, because he’ll exalt himself above everything. 38 He’ll glorify the god of fortresses,[am] a god whom his ancestors never knew, honoring him with gold, silver, valuable jewels, and treasures. 39 He’ll take action against the strongest fortresses. With the help of a foreign god, he’ll recognize those who honor him, making them rule over many, and he’ll parcel out the land for a profit.
40 “‘At the time of the end, the southern king will oppose him, and the northern king will overrun him with chariots, cavalry, and many ships. He’ll invade countries, moving swiftly and sweeping through. 41 He’ll enter the Beautiful Land, and many will fall, even though these will escape his control: Edom, Moab, and certain Ammonite officials.
42 He’ll extend his power over other countries, and even the land of Egypt won’t escape. 43 He’ll capture treasures of gold, silver, and all the treasures of Egypt, with the Libyans and Cushites[an] at his feet. 44 However, reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he’ll march out in great anger, intending to destroy and to desolate many. 45 When he pitches his royal pavilions between the seas[ao] facing the mountain of holy Glory, he’ll come to his end, and no one will help him.’”
The End Times
12 “‘At that time, Michael[ap] will arise, the great prince who will stand up on behalf of your people, and a time of trouble will come like there has never been since nations began until that time. Also at that time, your people will be delivered—everyone who will have been written in the book. 2 Many of those who are sleeping in the dust of the earth will awaken—some to life everlasting, and some to disgrace and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who manifest wisdom will shine like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine[aq] like the stars for ever and ever. 4 Now as for you, Daniel, roll up your scroll and seal your words until the time of the end. Many will rush around, while knowledge increases.’”
The Vision of the Two Speakers
5 “Then while I, Daniel, continued watching, suddenly two others stood there, one on this side of the river bank and one on the other side. 6 One asked the man dressed in linen clothes, who was standing[ar] above the waters of the river, ‘How long until the fulfillment of the wonders?’
7 “I heard the man dressed in linen clothes, who was standing[as] above the waters of the river as he lifted his right and left hands to heaven and swore by the one who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and a half. When the shattering of the power of the holy people has occurred, all these things will conclude.”
Daniel’s Unanswered Question
8 “I heard, but I didn’t understand. So I asked, ‘Sir,[at] what happens next?’
9 “He answered, ‘Go on your way, Daniel, because these matters[au] are wrapped up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined, though the wicked will continue to act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand. Nevertheless, the insightful[av] will understand. 11 There will be[aw] 1,290 days from the time the regular burnt offering[ax] is rescinded and the destructive desolation established. 12 Blessed is the one who perseveres and attains to the 1,335 days. 13 Now as for you, keep on going until the end—you’ll rest and then rise to receive your reward at the end of the age.’”[ay]
The Word of the Lord to Hosea
1 A message from the Lord came[az] to Beeri’s son Hosea[ba] during the reigns of[bb] Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of[bc] Joash’s son Jeroboam, who was king of Israel.
Hosea’s Wife and Family
2 When a message from the Lord came to Hosea, the Lord told him,[bd] “Go marry a prostitute and have children with her,[be] because the land is prostituting itself by departing from the Lord.” 3 So he went out and married Diblaim’s daughter Gomer. She conceived with him and gave birth to a son.
Naming the Children
4 The Lord told Hosea,[bf] “Name the child[bg] ‘Jezreel,’[bh] because in a little while I’ll avenge the blood that was shed by Jehu’s dynasty at Jezreel. I’ll put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5 At that time I’ll shatter the military strength[bi] of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”
6 Gomer[bj] conceived again and gave birth to a daughter, so the Lord[bk] told Hosea,[bl] “Name her ‘Lo-ruhamah,’[bm] because I will no longer be showing mercy to the house of Israel, nor will I forgive them. 7 But I’ll have mercy on the house of Judah, and I’ll save them by the Lord their God—I will not save them by the bow, by the sword, by battle, by horses, or by cavalry.”
8 After Gomer[bn] had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived again and gave birth to a son, 9 so the Lord[bo] told Hosea,[bp] “Name him ‘Lo-ammi,’[bq] because you are not my people, and I will not be your God.[br] 10 [bs]Despite this, the number of the people of Israel will be like ocean sand, which can neither be measured nor counted. And the time will come when instead of it being said,[bt] ‘You are not my people,’ it will be said,[bu] ‘You are children of the living God.’ 11 [bv]And the people of Judah and the people of Israel will be united as one. They will appoint for themselves a single leader and will take dominion over[bw] the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel. 2 1 [bx]So call your brothers ‘Ammi,’[by] and your sisters ‘Ruhamah.’”[bz]
Gomer is Rebuked
2 “Call your mother to account, call her—
for she is not my wife,
and I’m not her husband.
Let her do away with her seductive looks
and remove her adultery from between her breasts.
3 Otherwise, I’ll strip her naked—
as she was on the day she was born—
make her like a wilderness,
turn her into a parched land,
and cause her to die of thirst.
4 Furthermore, I’ll not show pity on her children,
since they are children of prostitution.
5 Indeed, their mother has committed prostitution—
the one who has been conceiving them has acted disgracefully—
when she said,
‘I’m going after my lovers,
who provide me food and water,
as well as my wool, my flax,
my oil, and my wine.’
6 “Look how I’m blocking her[ca] path with thorns
and building a wall to hinder[cb] her,
so she can’t find her way.
7 She will pursue her lovers,
but she won’t catch up with them.
She will seek them,
but she won’t find them.
Then she will say,
‘I’ll go back and return to my first husband,
because it was better for me then than now.’
8 She didn’t recognize
that it was I who provided her grain, wine, and oil,
and it was I who gave her silver,
while they crafted gold for Baal.
9 “Therefore I’ll return
and take back my grain at harvest time
and my new wine in its season.
I’ll take back my wool and my flax
that was to have covered her nakedness.
10 So now I’ll reveal her lewdness to the eyes of her lovers,
and no man will rescue her from my control.[cc]
11 I’ll put a stop to her mirth,
along with her celebrations, her New Moons, her Sabbaths,[cd] and all of her festive assemblies.
12 I’ll destroy her vines and her fig trees,
about which she said,
‘These are the earnings that my lovers paid me.
I’ll make them grow into a forest,
and the wild animals will eat from them.’
13 I’ll punish her for the time she has devoted to the Baals,[ce]
to whom she burned incense,
and for whom she put on her earrings and jewels
so she could go after her lovers and forget me,”
declares the Lord.
Alluring a Wayward Wife
14 “Therefore, look! I will now allure her.
I will make her go out to the wilderness,
and will speak to her heart.
15 There I will restore her vineyards to her,
and the Valley of Achor will become a doorway to hope.
There she will respond as she did in her youth,
when she came up from Egypt.”
The Restoration of Israel
16 “It will come about at that time,”
declares the Lord,
“that you will address me as ‘My husband,’
and you will no longer call me ‘My master’.[cf]
17 I will remove the names of the Baals[cg] from her vocabulary[ch]—
they will not be remembered by their names anymore.
18 I will make a covenant with them at that time,
a covenant[ci] with the wild animals of the field,
with the birds of the air,
and with the creatures of the ground.
I will banish[cj] the battle bow, the sword, and war from the earth.
I will cause my people[ck] to lie down where it is safe.
19 I will make you my wife forever—
I will make you my wife in a way that is righteous,
in a manner that is just,
by a love that is gracious,
and by a motive that is mercy.
20 I will make you my wife because of my[cl] faithfulness,
and you will know the Lord.
21 “It will come about at that time that I will respond,”
declares the Lord,
“I will respond to the heavens,
and they will respond to the earth.
22 The earth will respond with grain, new wine, and oil,
and they will respond to Jezreel.[cm]
23 I will plant my people[cn] in the land for myself.
I will show mercy on her who has received no mercy[co]
I will say to those who are not my people,[cp] ‘You are my people!’
and they will say, ‘You are[cq] my God.’”
Hosea Reconciles with His Wife
3 Then the Lord told me: “Go love your wife[cr] again, even though she is being loved by another and is committing adultery. Love her the same way[cs] the Lord loves the people of Israel, even though they look to other gods and love raisin cakes.”[ct] 2 So I bought her back for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and one and a half omers[cu] of barley.
3 I told her, “You will remain with me a long time,[cv] you won’t be promiscuous, you won’t be involved with any man, and I’ll do the same.”[cw]
4 Likewise, the people of Israel will dwell a long time[cx] without a king, without a prince, without sacrifice, without sacred[cy] pillars, and with neither ephod nor teraphim.[cz] 5 Afterward, the people of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They will come in awe to the Lord and to his goodness in the last days.
God Accuses Israel
4 “Hear this message from the Lord, people of Israel.
Indeed, the Lord brings a charge
against the people who live in the land—
for there is no truth and no gracious love
or knowledge of God in the land.
2 Swearing, lying, murder, theft, and adultery are rampant,
and blood mingles with blood.
3 Therefore the land will mourn,
and all who live there will languish,
along with the wild animals of the field and the birds of the air.
Even the fish in the sea will disappear.
4 “Let no one fight or bring charges against another,
for my dispute is with you, priest.
5 So you will stumble during the day,
the prophet also will stumble with you at night,
and I will destroy your mother.[da]
6 My people are destroyed because they lack knowledge of me.[db]
Because you rejected that knowledge,
I will reject you as a priest for me.
Since you forget the Law of your God,
I will also forget your children.
7 “The more they increased in number,[dc]
the more they sinned against me,
so I will change their glory into shame.
8 They feed on the sin of my people;
they purpose in their heart to transgress.
9 So it will be: like people, like priest.
I will punish them for their lifestyles,
rewarding them according to their behavior.
10 They will eat,
but will not be satisfied.
They will engage in prostitution,
but they won’t increase,
because they have stopped listening to the Lord.
11 “Sexual immorality, wine, and fresh wine seduce the heart of my people.[dd]
12 My people seek counsel from their piece of wood,
and their diviner’s rod[de] speaks to them.
For a spirit of prostitution causes them to go astray;
in their immorality they desert their God.
13 They offer sacrifices on the mountain tops,
burning offerings on the hills,
under oaks, poplars, and terebinth[df] trees,
since their shade is very good.
Therefore your daughters are prostitutes
and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.
14 However, I’m not going to punish your daughters
when they commit prostitution,
nor your daughters-in-law
when they commit adultery,
because their men are themselves immoral—
they offer sacrifices with prostitutes.
These people who aren’t discerning will stumble.
15 “Even though you prostitute yourself, Israel—
let not Judah incur guilt—
don’t go to Gilgal,
or visit Beth-aven,
or swear an oath using the Lord’s name.[dg]
16 For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn mule![dh]
Nevertheless, will not the Lord feed them like a lamb in a broad pasture?
17 Ephraim has become entwined with idols;
leave him alone!
18 While drinking to excess, they prostitute themselves.
They’re in love with dishonor.
19 A wind storm will carry them away in its embrace,
and their sacrifices will bring them shame.”
Judgment against Israel
5 “Hear this, priests,
pay attention, house of Israel,
listen, royal family!
For judgment is coming your way,[di]
because you have been a trap to Mizpah,
a snare spread out on Mount[dj] Tabor.
2 The rebels are deep into their slaughter;
I am punishing them all.
3 I know Ephraim,
and Israel cannot hide from me,
since you, Ephraim, have been acting like a prostitute,
defiling Israel.
4 “Their actions hinder them from turning to their God,
because a spirit of fornication is in their midst,
and the Lord they do not know.
5 The arrogance of Israel testifies against him;
therefore Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their iniquity,
and Judah with them.
6 They will go with their flocks and herds
to seek the Lord,
but they will not find him;
he has withdrawn from them.
7 They have been unfaithful to the Lord,
having raised unbelieving children.
In the coming month they will be devoured,
along with their fields.[dk]
8 “Sound the trumpet in Gibeah,
and the alarm in Ramah.
Cry out at Beth-aven
Go out,[dl] Benjamin!
9 Ephraim will be desolate
when it is rebuked.
I have made known among the tribes of Israel
what will surely come about.
10 The princes of Judah have become
like those who move boundary markers:
I will pour out my anger on them like water.
11 Ephraim is crushed,
broken by judgment,
because he[dm] willingly pursued idols.[dn]
12 Therefore I will consume[do] Ephraim like a moth,
and the house of Judah as rottenness consumes.
13 When Ephraim examined his illness
and Judah his injury,
then Ephraim went to Assyria,
and inquired of the great king;
but he could not cure you
nor heal your injury.
14 Therefore I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
and like a young lion to the house of Judah.
I—even I—will tear them[dp] to pieces,
and then I will leave.
I will take them[dq] away,
and there will be no rescue.
15 “I will leave and go back to my place
until they admit their offense
and seek my face.
When affliction comes to them,
they will eagerly seek me.”
A Call for Israel to Repent
6 “Come, let us return to the Lord;
even though he has torn us,[dr]
he will heal us.
Even though he has wounded us,
he will bind our wounds.[ds]
2 After two days, he will restore us to life,
on the third day he will raise us up,
and we will live in his presence.
3 Let us know,
let us pursue knowledge of the Lord;
his coming is as certain as the dawn.
He will come to us like the rain,
like the autumn and spring rains come on the earth.
4 “What am I to do with you, Ephraim?
What am I to do with you, Judah?
Your love is like a morning rain cloud—
it passes away like the morning dew.
5 Therefore I cut them[dt] to pieces by the prophets,
killing them by the words from my mouth.
The verdict against you shines like a beacon.
6 For it is love that I seek,
and not sacrifice;
knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
7 “But like Adam,[du] they broke the covenant;
in this they have acted deceitfully against me.
8 Gilead is a lawless town;
it is polluted by bloodshed.
9 Like a gang of thieves that stalk a man,
priests commit murder along the road to Shechem,
committing shameful crimes.
10 I have seen a horrible evil in the house of Israel—
Ephraim’s promiscuity.
Israel is defiled.
11 “So, Judah, a harvest has been appointed for you
when I restore my people from captivity.”
God Accuses Israel
7 “When I was healing Israel,
Ephraim’s sin was uncovered,
along with Samaria’s wickedness.
While they craft lying schemes,
the thief invades,
and the gang of thieves plunders outside.
2 It never occurs to them that I remember all their sin.
Now their actions have caught up with them,
and they have my attention.[dv]
3 They please the king with their evil,
and the princes with their dishonesty.
4 All of them are adulterers—
they burn like an oven prepared by the baker,
who has ceased stoking it
until the dough is leavened.
5 “On the king’s festival day
the princes got drunk from wine,
so the king[dw] joined the mockers.
6 For they have stirred up themselves[dx] like an oven
as they lie in ambush.
Their baker sleeps through the night;
in the morning, the oven[dy] will be blazing like a fire.
7 They all burn like an oven;
they have consumed their judges;
all their kings have fallen—
not even one of them calls on me.
8 “Ephraim compromises with[dz] the nations;
he’s a half-baked cake.[ea]
9 Foreigners have consumed his strength,
and he hasn’t noticed.
Furthermore, his head is sprinkled with gray hair,
but he doesn’t realize it.
10 Israel’s arrogance testifies against him;[eb]
but they do not return to the Lord their God,
nor seek him in all of this.
11 “Ephraim is also like a silly dove,
lacking sense:[ec]
They call out to Egypt,
and turn toward Assyria.
12 When they go,
I’ll cast my net over them.
I’ll bring them down, as one shoots[ed] birds in the sky.
I’ll chasten them,
as the assembly has already heard.
13 Woe to them—
because they have run away from me.
Ruin to them—
because they have sinned against me.
Even though I redeemed them,
they spread lies against me.
14 They will not cry to me from their heart—
instead, they wail on their beds.
They gather together to eat and drink,[ee]
turning away from me.
15 “Though I have taught them
and strengthened their arms,
nevertheless they plot evil against me.
16 They return—but not to the Most High.
They are like a defective weapon.[ef]
Their princes will fall by the sword
because of their raging tongue,
and they will be a laughingstock in the land of Egypt.”
Reaping the Wind Storm
8 “Sound the ram’s horn!
Like a vulture[eg] the enemy[eh] will come against the Temple of the Lord,
because Israel[ei] violated my covenant,
transgressing my Law.
2 They cry out to me,
‘God, we of Israel acknowledge you.’
3 “Israel has discarded what is good.
The enemy will pursue them.[ej]
4 They set kings in place,
but not by me.
They established princes,
whom I did not recognize.
They crafted idols for themselves from their silver and gold;
as a result, they will be destroyed.
5 Your calf,[ek] Samaria, has been thrown away.
My anger is burning against them.
How long until they become pure again?
6 Because from Israel it was fashioned by craftsmen,
it is not God;
therefore Samaria’s calf will be broken in pieces.
7 “Because they sow the wind,
they will reap the wind storm.
The plant has no stalk
and its bud yields no grain.
Even if there’s a harvest,
foreigners will gobble it up.
8 Israel has been devoured;
now they will live among the nations
like a worthless container.
9 “Because they went over to Assyria,
they are like a wild donkey alone by itself.
Ephraim has hired some lovers.
10 Even though they sold themselves to the nations,
I will gather them.
They will mourn for a while
for the burden they were to the king and princes.[el]
11 “The more altars Ephraim builds for sin,
the more altars there will be for sin.
12 I prescribed great things from my Law for them,[em]
but they considered them profane.
13 They offer me meat from the sacrifices of my offerings,
and they eat from it,
but the Lord does not accept them.
He will now remember their transgression
and pay them back for their sins;
to Egypt they will return.
14 “Israel has neglected its maker in building palaces.
Judah has multiplied its fortified cities,
but I will send fire to their cities,
and it will consume their fortresses.”
Punishment for Israel
9 “Don’t celebrate, Israel, like other nations would rejoice,
because you left your God by committing fornication,
loving the profit you gained on all of the threshing floors.
2 Neither threshing floor nor winepress will sustain them,
and the new wine will disappoint her.
3 They will not live in the Lord’s land—
Ephraim will return to Egypt,
and they will eat unclean food in Assyria.
4 They won’t present wine offerings to the Lord,
nor will they please him.
Their sacrifices will seem like food for mourners—
everyone who eats them will become unclean;
none of them will enter the Temple of the Lord.
5 “What will you do on the designated holiday,
when the Lord’s festival comes?
6 Look! They have gone away because of the destruction—
Egypt will gather them up,
and Memphis[en] will bury them.
Weeds will overgrow their inheritance,[eo]
and thorns will grow[ep] in their tents.
7 The time for your judgment has now come;
payday is here—
and Israel knows it.
The prophet is a fool,
and the spiritual man is insane.
Because of your great sin,
the hatred against you[eq] is great.
8 While Ephraim stands watch with my God,
the prophet has snares set that will trap his ways,
and hostility lodges in the Temple of his God.
9 They have corrupted themselves deeply,
as did Gibeah[er] in its day.
Therefore God[es] will remember their lawlessness,
and he will pay them back for their sins.
10 “I found Israel,
as one finds[et] grapes in the wilderness;
Your ancestors seemed to me like the fruit
gleaned from a fig tree’s first harvest.
When they went to Baal-peor,[eu]
they devoted themselves to that filth,
and they became loathsome,
like what they loved.
11 The glory of Ephraim will fly away like a bird—
no birth, no pregnancy, not even a conception.
12 Even if they rear their children,
I will, in turn, make them childless—
in fact, woe to them
when I turn away from them!
13 Ephraim, as I see it, is like Tyre,
planted in a comfortable place;
Ephraim will bear children
but they will be executed.”
14 Give them, Lord—
What will you give?
You will give them a womb that miscarries and dry breasts.
15 “All of their wickedness started[ev] in Gilgal,
because I began to hate them there.
Because of the wickedness of their behavior,
I will drive them from my Temple.
I will not love them anymore;
all their leaders are rebels.
16 Ephraim is blighted;[ew]
its roots shriveled.
It can bear no fruit.
Even if they bear children,
I will kill their cherished offspring.
17 “My God will reject them,
because they did not obey him,
and they will become wanderers among the nations.”
The Coming Destruction
10 “Israel, the overgrown[ex] vine, bears fruit like itself;
the more fruitful they become,
the more altars they build.
The better the land,
the more ornate the stone idols.[ey]
2 Their hearts are divided;
from now on they are to be found guilty.
God[ez] will tear down their altars,
he will destroy their stone idols.[fa]
3 From now on they will say,
‘We have no king,
because we did not fear the Lord—
and what would a king do for us?’
4 Their word is falsely given
as they make their agreements;[fb]
so judgment springs up
like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.[fc]
5 “The residents of Samaria will be terrified
because of the cows[fd] of Beth-aven.
Its people will mourn over Beth-aven,[fe]
along with the priests who will mourn its glory,
because that glory has departed.[ff]
6 Indeed, that glory[fg] will be carried to Assyria—
it will become a present for an avenging king.[fh]
Ephraim will be disgraced,
and Israel will become ashamed of its decision.
7 Samaria’s king will float away
like driftwood on the surface of water.
8 Destroyed will be the high places of Aven,
that are the sin of Israel.
Both thorn and thistle will grow up over their altars.
They will call out to the mountains, ‘Cover us!’
and to the hills, ‘Fall on us!’
9 “From the time of Gibeah,
you have sinned, Israel;
There they took their stand;
the battle at Gibeah could not subdue the lawless.
10 When I’m ready, I will chasten them;
and the people will gather against them,
to imprison them for their two unrighteous acts.”[fi]
Israel Urged to Sow in Righteousness
11 “Ephraim, the well-trained heifer,
loves to thresh grain,
so I will spare her neck.
I will turn Ephraim into a pack animal.
Judah will pull the plow,
and Jacob will turn up the fallow ground.
12 Sow in righteousness in your own interest,
reap in gracious love,
break up your own unprepared ground;
It is now time to inquire of[fj] the Lord,
until he comes to pour out righteousness for you.
13 You have plowed[fk] evil;
you have reaped unrighteousness;
you have eaten the fruit of hypocrisy;
because you trusted in your own direction,
and in the number of your mighty forces.
14 Therefore a disaster will come upon your people,
and all of your fortresses will be ruined.
As Shalman[fl] destroyed Beth-arbel in wartime,
mothers were[fm] dashed to pieces
along with their children.
15 The same will happen to you, Bethel,
because of your great evil—
early one morning the king of Israel will be totally silenced.”
God Loves Israel
11 “When Israel was a young child I loved him,
and from Egypt I called my son.
2 The more I called out to them,
the farther they fled from me;[fn]
they sacrificed to Baals,[fo]
burning incense to carved images.
3 Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
supporting them by their arms,
but they never knew that I was healing them.
4 I guided them with human kindness,
with loving reins.
I acted toward them
like one who removes a yoke from their neck;
I bent down and fed them.
5 “They will not return to the land of Egypt;
instead, the Assyrian will be their king,
because they kept refusing to repent.
6 The sword will fall on their cities,
consuming and devouring their fortified gates,[fp]
despite their planning.
7 My people are determined to turn away from me;
though they call to the Most High,
no one is worshiping.
8 “How can I give up on you, Ephraim?
I will deliver you, will I not, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah?
I can’t make you like Zeboim,[fq] can I?
My heart stirs within me;
my compassion also fans into flame!
9 I will not act in my anger;
I will not return to destroy Ephraim,
For I am God,
and not a human—
the Holy One among you—
so I will not enter the city in anger.[fr]
10 They will go after the Lord,
who will roar like a lion;
and when he roars,
the children will come trembling from the west.
11 Trembling like a bird, they will come out of Egypt,
and as a dove from the land of Assyria;
and I will settle them in their houses,”
declares the Lord.
12 [fs]“Ephraim surrounds me with lies,
and the house of Israel surrounds me[ft] with deceit,
But Judah still rules with God,
and remains faithful, along with the godly ones.”
Israel’s Sin
12 [fu]“Ephraim feeds on the wind,
chasing after the eastern winds,
storing up lies and desolation day after day.
They are making a contract with the Assyrians,
and sending oil to Egypt.
2 The Lord accuses Judah,
and will punish Jacob according to his ways;
he will repay him for what he does.
3 He circumvented his brother[fv] in the womb,
and as an adult he fought with God.
4 He even fought the angel and won;
he cried and prayed to him.
Then at Bethel he found him,
and there he spoke with us—
5 the Lord God of the Heavenly Armies—
the Lord is his name.[fw]
6 So you, return to your God;
guard grace and justice,
and look to your God always.
7 “Now as for the merchant,[fx]
deceitful balances remain in his hand,
and he loves to defraud.
8 Ephraim claims,
‘I have become rich,
I have made a fortune!
Because of all my wealth,
no one will find any iniquity or sin in me.’
9 “Yet I remain the Lord your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
I will make you live in tents again,
as in the festival of that name.[fy]
10 I spoke to the prophets,
giving revelation after revelation,
and employing parables in the prophetic writings.[fz]
11 “There’s iniquity in Gilead, isn’t there?
They have become truly vain.
They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal;
their altars are like piles of stone in furrowed fields.
12 Jacob fled into the land of Aram;[ga]
Israel served there to obtain his wife,
tending sheep to gain[gb] his wife.
13 “By a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt,
and by a prophet he[gc] was rescued.
14 Ephraim has stirred up violent anger;
therefore the guilt of his blood will remain on him,
and his Lord will repay him for his contempt.”
The Lord’s Anger against Israel
13 “When the tribe of[gd] Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;
and it was exalted within Israel.
But when they offended God by Baal,
they died,
2 but now they are sinning more and more,
crafting idols from melted silver.
Their idols are made with the most exacting skill,
all of it the work of craftsmen.
People[ge] say about them,
‘They offer human sacrifice,
and kiss calf-shaped idols.’[gf]
3 Therefore they will be like morning clouds,
like early morning dew that evaporates,
like chaff blown away from the threshing floor,
or like smoke from a chimney.”[gg]
The Lord is Israel’s God
4 “I am the Lord your God
from the land of Egypt,
and you have known no god except for me,
because except for me there is no savior.
5 I took care of[gh] you in the wilderness,
in a waterless land.
6 As their pastures flourished,
all their desires were met.[gi]
As they were satiated,
they became arrogant
and therefore ignored me.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.