The Hebrew Prophets

For suppose they escape the destruction - Egypt will round them up, Memphis will bury them. And their precious treasures of silver? Nettles will possess them, thorns will be in their tents.

The days of punishment have come, the days of retribution are here, and Isra'el knows it. [Yet they cry,] "The prophet is a fool, the man of the spirit has gone crazy!" Because your iniquity is so great, the hostility [against you] is great.

The watchman of Efrayim is with my God, but a prophet has a fowler's snare set on all his paths and hostility even in the house of his God.

They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Giv'ah. He will remember their guilt, and he will punish their sins.

"When I found Isra'el, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing a fig tree's first figs in its first season. But as soon as they came to Ba'al-P'or, they dedicated themselves to something shameful; they became as loathsome as the thing they loved.

The glory of Efrayim will fly away like a bird - no birth, no pregnancy, no conception.

Even if they raise their children, I will destroy them till none is left - and woe to them when I leave them, too!"

Efrayim, as I see it, is like Tzor, planted in a pleasant place; but Efrayim will bring out his children to the slaughterer.

ADONAI, give them - what will you give? Give them wombs that miscarry and dried-up breasts!

"All their wickedness was already there in Gilgal; that's where I came to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will expel them from my house, I will love them no more; all their leaders are rebels.

Efrayim has been struck down, their root has been dried up, they will bear no fruit. Even if they do give birth, I will kill their cherished offspring."

My God will cast them aside, because they wouldn't listen to him, and they will become wanderers among the Goyim.

Isra'el was a luxuriant vine, freely putting forth fruit. As his fruit increased, he increased his altars; as his land got better, he improved his standing-stones.

Their heart is divided; now they will bear their guilt. He will break down their altars and destroy their standing-stones.

For now they will say, "We have no king, because we didn't fear ADONAI - and what could a king do for us, anyway?"

They mouth words, swearing falsely, making treaties. Thus judgment spreads like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.

The inhabitants of Shomron are frightened of the calf-gods of Beit-Aven. Its people mourn over it; its priests tremble over it, over its glory, which has left it.

It will be carried to Ashur as a present for a warring king. Efrayim will be put to shame, and Isra'el be ashamed of his own advice.

Shomron's king will perish like foam on the surface of the water.

Destruction will come to the high places of Aven, that is, to the sin of Isra'el. Thorns and thistles will grow over their altars; and they will say to the mountains, "Cover us!" and to the hills, "Fall on us!"

"Since the days of Giv'ah you have sinned, Isra'el. There they took their stand. For these arrogant people at Giv'ah, war was insufficient punishment.

When I wish to, I will discipline them; and the peoples will be gathered against them to discipline them for their two crimes."

Efrayim is a well-taught cow - it loves to tread the grain, and I have spared her fair neck. But I will put Efrayim in harness, Y'hudah will have to plow, Ya'akov will harrow his own land.

If you sow righteousness for yourselves, you will reap according to grace. Break up unused ground for yourselves, because it is time to seek ADONAI, till he comes and rains down righteousness upon you.

You have plowed wickedness, reaped iniquity and eaten the fruit of lies. Because you trusted in your own way, in your large numbers of warriors,