The Hebrew Prophets

So I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like decay to the house of Judah.

When 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.

For 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.

Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us to pieces, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bind up our wounds.

After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.

So let us know— let us press on to know the LORD. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the earth.

What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes.

Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth, and My judgments go forth like lightning.

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant; there they were unfaithful to Me.

Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with footprints of blood.

Like raiders who lie in ambush, so does a band of priests; they murder on the way to Shechem; surely they have committed atrocities.

In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing: Ephraim practices prostitution there, and Israel is defiled.

Also for you, O Judah, a harvest is appointed, when I restore My people from captivity.

When I heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim will be exposed, as well as the crimes of Samaria. For they practice deceit and thieves break in; bandits raid in the streets.

But they fail to consider in their hearts that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds are all around them; they are before My face.

They delight the king with their evil, and the princes with their lies.

They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by a baker who needs not stoke the fire from the kneading to the rising of the dough.

The princes are inflamed with wine on the day of our king; so he joins hands with those who mock him.

For they prepare their heart like an oven while they lie in wait; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.

All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings fall; not one of them calls upon Me.

Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is an unturned cake.

Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know.

Israel’s arrogance testifies against them, yet they do not return to the LORD their God; despite all this, they do not seek Him.