NETfree - Hosea - 9

9:1  O Israel, do not rejoice jubilantly like the nations, for you are unfaithful to your God. You love to receive a prostitute's wages on all the floors where you thresh your grain.

9:2  Threshing floors and wine vats will not feed the people, and new wine only deceives them.

9:3  They will not remain in the LORD's land. Ephraim will return to Egypt; they will eat ritually unclean food in Assyria.

9:4  They will not pour out drink offerings of wine to the LORD; they will not please him with their sacrifices. Their sacrifices will be like bread eaten while in mourning; all those who eat them will make themselves ritually unclean. For their bread will be only to satisfy their appetite; it will not come into the temple of the LORD.

9:5  So what will you do on the festival day, on the festival days of the LORD?

9:6  Look! Even if they flee from the destruction, Egypt will take hold of them, and Memphis will bury them. The weeds will inherit the silver they treasure - thorn bushes will occupy their homes.

9:7  The time of judgment is about to arrive! The time of retribution is imminent! Let Israel know! The prophet is considered a fool - the inspired man is viewed as a madman - because of the multitude of your sins and your intense animosity.

9:8  The prophet is a watchman over Ephraim on behalf of God, yet traps are laid for him along all of his paths; animosity rages against him in the land of his God.

9:9  They have sunk deep into corruption as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their wrongdoing. He will repay them for their sins.

9:10  When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the wilderness. I viewed your ancestors like an early fig on a fig tree in its first season. Then they came to Baal-Peor and they dedicated themselves to shame - they became as detestable as what they loved.

9:11  Ephraim will be like a bird; what they value will fly away. They will not bear children - they will not enjoy pregnancy - they will not even conceive!

9:12  Even if they raise their children, I will take away every last one of them. Woe to them! For I will turn away from them.

9:13  Just as lion cubs are born predators, so Ephraim will bear his sons for slaughter.

9:14  Give them, O LORD - what will you give them? Give them wombs that miscarry, and breasts that cannot nurse!

9:15  Because of all their evil in Gilgal, I hate them there. On account of their evil deeds, I will drive them out of my land. I will no longer love them; all their rulers are rebels.

9:16  Ephraim will be struck down - their root will be dried up; they will not yield any fruit. Even if they do bear children, I will kill their precious offspring.

9:17  My God will reject them, for they have not obeyed him; so they will be fugitives among the nations.