The Hebrew Prophets

Therefore I am like a moth to Efrayim and like rottenness to the house of Y'hudah.

When Efrayim saw his sickness and Y'hudah his wound, Efrayim went to Ashur and sent envoys to a warring king; but he can't heal you or cure your wound.

For to Efrayim I will be like a lion, and like a young lion to the house of Y'hudah - I will tear them up and go away; I will carry them off, and no one will rescue.

I will go and return to my place, till they admit their guilt and search for me, seeking me eagerly in their distress."

Come, let us return to ADONAI; for he has torn, and he will heal us; he has struck, and he will bind our wounds.

After two days, he will revive us; on the third day, he will raise us up; and we will live in his presence.

Let us know, let us strive to know ADONAI. That he will come is as certain as morning; he will come to us like the rain, like the spring rains that water the earth.

"Efrayim, what should I do to you? Y'hudah, what should I do to you? For your 'faithful love' is like a morning cloud, like dew that disappears quickly.

This is why I have cut them to pieces by the prophets, slaughtered them with the words from my mouth - the judgment on you shines out like light.

For what I desire is mercy, not sacrifices, knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

"But they, just like men, have broken the covenant, they have been faithless in dealing with me.

Gil'ad is a city of criminals, covered with bloody footprints;

just as bands of robbers wait to ambush someone, so does a gang of cohanim. They commit murder on the road to Sh'khem! Their conduct is an outrage!

In the house of Isra'el I have seen a horrible thing; whoring is found there in Efrayim, Isra'el is defiled.

For you, too, Y'hudah, a harvest will come! "When I restore the fortunes of my people,

when I am ready to heal Isra'el, the crimes of Efrayim confront me, along with the wickedness of Shomron. For they keep practicing deceit; thieves break in, bands of robbers raid outside.

They never say to themselves that I remember all their evil. Now their own deeds surround them; they are right in front of me.

They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the leaders with their lies.

They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker, who doesn't stoke the fire from kneading time till the dough has risen.

"On their king's special day the leaders inflame him with wine, and he joins hands with scorners,

who ready themselves like an oven while they wait for their chance. Their baker sleeps through the night; then in the morning it bursts into flame.

They are all as hot as an oven, and they devour their judges. All their kings have fallen; not one of them calls out to me.

"Efrayim mixes himself with the peoples, Efrayim has become a half-baked cake.

Foreigners have eaten up his strength, but he doesn't know it; yes, gray hairs appear on him here and there, but he doesn't know it.

The pride of Isra'el testifies in his face, but in spite of all this they haven't returned to ADONAI their God or sought him.