Hosea 5

Berean Standard Bible

Chapter summary

God addresses the priests, the house of Israel, and the royal house, declaring that judgment is against them because they have acted as a snare at Mizpah and Tabor. Ephraim and Israel are defiled by unfaithfulness and arrogance, preventing them from returning to the LORD, who has withdrawn Himself even as they bring their flocks and herds to seek Him. The text announces military alarms in Gibeah, Ramah, and Beth-aven, while describing Ephraim and Judah as destined for devastation, oppression, and divine fury like a moth, decay, and a tearing lion. When Ephraim and Judah realize their sickness and wounds, Ephraim turns to the king of Assyria for help, but that king is unable to heal them. Finally, the LORD states that He will return to His place until the people admit their guilt and earnestly seek Him in their affliction.

Summary automatically generated from the Bible text.

Words of Jesus in red

¹“Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O royal house! For this judgment is against you because you have been a snare at Mizpah, a net spread out on Tabor. ²The rebels are deep in slaughter; but I will chastise them all. ³I know all about Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me. For now, O Ephraim, you have turned to prostitution; Israel is defiled. ⁴Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God, for a spirit of prostitution is within them, and they do not know the LORD. ⁵Israel’s arrogance testifies against them; Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; even Judah stumbles with them. ⁶They go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, but they do not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them. ⁷They have been unfaithful to the LORD; for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the New Moon will devour them along with their land. ⁸Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; raise the battle cry in Beth-aven: Lead on, O Benjamin! ⁹Ephraim will be laid waste on the day of rebuke. Among the tribes of Israel I proclaim what is certain. ¹⁰The princes of Judah are like those who move boundary stones; I will pour out My fury upon them like water. ¹¹Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, for he is determined to follow worthless idols. ¹²So I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like decay to the house of Judah. ¹³When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria and sent to the great king. But he cannot cure you or heal your wound. ¹⁴For I am like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them to pieces and then go away. I will carry them off where no one can rescue them. ¹⁵Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

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Louis Segond 1910 and Berean Standard Bible: public domain. Cross references: open-cross-ref, Creative Commons BY 4.0.