Hosea 5

The Failure of Israel’s Leaders

5“Hear this, you priests. Pay attention, you leaders of Israel. Listen, you members of the royal family. Judgment has been handed down against you. For you have led the people into a snare by worshiping the idols at Mizpah and Tabor.H8085H3548H7181H1004H3478H238H1004H4428H4941H6341H4709H7568H6566H83962You have dug a deep pit to trap them at Acacia Grove

. But I will settle with you for what you have done.H7846H6009H7819H41483I know what you are like, O Ephraim. You cannot hide yourself from me, O Israel. You have left me as a prostitute leaves her husband; you are utterly defiled.H3045H669H3478H3582H669H2181H3478H29304Your deeds won’t let you return to your God. You are a prostitute through and through, and you do not know the Lord.H5414H4611H7725H430H7307H2183H7130H3045H30685“The arrogance of Israel testifies against her; Israel and Ephraim will stumble under their load of guilt. Judah, too, will fall with them.H1347H3478H6030H6440H3478H669H3782H5771H3063H37826When they come with their flocks and herds to offer sacrifices to the Lord, they will not find him, because he has withdrawn from them.H3212H6629H1241H1245H3068H4672H25027They have betrayed the honor of the Lord, bearing children that are not his. Now their false religion will devour them along with their wealth

.H898H3068H3205H2114H1121H2320H398H25068“Sound the alarm in Gibeah! Blow the trumpet in Ramah! Raise the battle cry in Beth-aven

! Lead on into battle, O warriors of Benjamin!H8628H7782H1390H2689H7414H7321H1007H310H11449One thing is certain, Israel

: On your day of punishment, you will become a heap of rubble.H669H8047H3117H8433H7626H3478H3045H53910“The leaders of Judah have become like thieves

. So I will pour my anger on them like a waterfall.H8269H3063H5253H1366H8210H5678H432511The people of Israel will be crushed and broken by my judgment because they are determined to worship idols

.H669H6231H7533H4941H2974H1980H310H667312I will destroy Israel as a moth consumes wool. I will make Judah as weak as rotten wood.H669H6211H1004H3063H753813“When Israel and Judah saw how sick they were, Israel turned to Assyria—to the great king there—but he could neither help nor cure them.H669H7200H2483H3063H4205H3212H669H804H7971H4428H3377H7378H3201H7495H1455H420514I will be like a lion to Israel, like a strong young lion to Judah. I will tear them to pieces! I will carry them off, and no one will be left to rescue them.H669H7826H3715H1004H3063H2963H3212H5375H533715Then I will return to my place until they admit their guilt and turn to me. For as soon as trouble comes, they will earnestly search for me.”H3212H7725H4725H816H1245H6440H6862H7836