AB - Hosea - 9

9:1  Rejoice not, O Israel, neither make merry, as other nations. For you have gone a-whoring from your God; you have loved gifts upon every threshing floor.

9:2  The threshing floor and winepress knew them not, and the wine disappointed them.

9:3  They dwelt not in the Lord's land: Ephraim dwelt in Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things among the Assyrians.

9:4  They have not offered wine to the Lord, neither have their sacrifices been sweet to Him, but as the bread of mourning to them; all that eat them shall be defiled; for their bread for their soul shall not enter into the house of the Lord.

9:5  What will you do in the day of the general assembly, and in the day of the feast of the Lord?

9:6  Therefore, behold, they go forth from the trouble of Egypt, and Memphis shall receive them, and Machmas shall bury them. As for their silver, destruction shall inherit it; thorns shall be in their tents.

9:7  The days of vengeance have come, the days of your recompense have come; and Israel shall be afflicted as the prophet that is mad, as a man deranged. By reason of the multitude of your iniquities your madness has abounded.

9:8  The watchman of Ephraim was with God. The prophet is a crooked snare in all his ways: they have established madness in the house of God.

9:9  They have corrupted themselves according to the days of the hill. He will remember their iniquities, He will take vengeance on their sins.

9:10  I found Israel as grapes in the wilderness, and I saw their fathers as an early watchman in a fig tree. They went in to Baal Peor, and were shamefully estranged, and the abominable became as the beloved.

9:11  Ephraim has flown away as a bird; their glories from the birth, and the travail, and the conception.

9:12  For even if they should rear their children, yet shall they be utterly bereaved. Wherefore also there is woe to them, though My flesh is of them.

9:13  Ephraim, even as I saw, gave their children for a prey; yes, Ephraim was ready to bring out his children to slaughter.

9:14  Give them, O Lord: what will you give them? A miscarrying womb, and dry breasts.

9:15  All their wickedness is in Gilgal. For there I hated them; because of the wickedness of their practices, I will cast them out of My house, I will not love them anymore; all their princes are disobedient.

9:16  Ephraim is sick, he is dried up at his roots, he shall by no means bear fruit any longer. For even if they should beget children, I will kill the desired fruit of their womb.

9:17  God shall reject them, because they have not hearkened to Him, and they shall be wanderers among the nations.