1Rejoice not , O Israel , for joy , like the peoples ; for thou hast played the harlot , departing from thy God; thou hast loved hire upon every grain-floor. 2The threshing-floor and the winepress shall not feed them , and the new wine shall fail her. 3They shall not dwell in Jehovah ’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt , and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria. 4They shall not pour out wine- offerings to Jehovah , neither shall they be pleasing unto him : their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted ; for their bread shall be for their appetite ; it shall not come into the house of Jehovah . 5What will ye do in the day of solemn assembly , and in the day of the feast of Jehovah ? 6For , lo , they are gone away from destruction ; yet Egypt shall gather them up , Memphis shall bury them ; their pleasant things of silver , nettles shall possess them ; thorns shall be in their tents.
God's Judgment and Mercy
7The days of visitation are come , the days of recompense are come ; Israel shall know it : the prophet is a fool, the man that hath the spirit is mad , for the abundance of thine iniquity , and because the enmity is great . 8Ephraim was a watchman with my God: as for the prophet , a fowler ’s snare is in all his ways , and enmity in the house of his God. 9They have deeply corrupted themselves , as in the days of Gibeah : he will remember their iniquity , he will visit their sins . 10I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness ; I saw your fathers as the first-ripe in the fig-tree at its first season: but they came to Baal-peor , and consecrated themselves unto the shameful thing , and became abominable like that which they loved.
The Future of Israel
11As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird : there shall be no birth , and none with child , and no conception . 12Though they bring up their children , yet will I bereave them , so that not a man shall be left : yea , woe also to them when I depart from them ! 13Ephraim, like as I have seen Tyre , is planted in a pleasant place : but Ephraim shall bring out his children to the slayer . 14Give them , O Jehovah — what wilt thou give ? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts . 15All their wickedness is in Gilgal ; for there I hated them : because of the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of my house ; I will love them no more ; all their princes are revolters . 16Ephraim is smitten , their root is dried up , they shall bear no fruit : yea , though they bring forth , yet will I slay the beloved fruit of their womb. 17My God will cast them away , because they did not hearken unto him ; and they shall be wanderers among the nations .