God

And they shall eat and shall not be filled: they have committed fornication, and have not ceased: because they have forsaken the Lord in not observing the law.

My people have consulted their stocks, and their staff hath declared unto them: for the spirit of fornication hath deceived them, and they have committed fornication against their God.

I will not visit upon your daughters, when they shall commit fornication, and upon your spouses when they shall commit adultery: because themselves conversed with harlots, and offered sacrifice with the effeminate, and the people that doth not understand shall be beaten.

If thou play the harlot, O Israel, at least let not Juda offend: and go ye not into Galgal, and come not up into Bethaven, and do not swear: The Lord liveth.

For Israel hath gone astray like a wanton heifer now will the Lord feed them, as a lamb in a spacious place.

And you have turned aside victims into the depth and I am the teacher of them all.

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me for now Ephraim hath committed fornication, Israel is defiled.

They will not set their thoughts to return to their God: for the spirit of fornication is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord.

With their flocks and with their herds, they shall go to seek the Lord, and shall not find him: he is withdrawn from them.

They have transgressed against the Lord: for they have begotten children that are strangers: now shall a month devour them with their portions.

Ephraim shall be in desolation in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel I have shewn that which shall surely be.

The princes of Juda are become as they that take up the bound: I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.

And I will be like a moth to Ephraim: and like rottenness to the house of Juda.

For I will be like a lioness to Ephraim, and like a lion's whelp to the house of Juda: I, I will catch, and go: I will take away, and there is none that can rescue.

I will go and return to my place: until you are consumed, and seek my face.

In their affliction they will rise early to me: Come, and let us return to the Lord.

For he hath taken us, and he will heal us: he will strike, and he will cure us.

He will revive us after two days: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. We shall know, and we shall follow on, that we may know the Lord. His going forth is prepared as the morning light, and he will come to us as the early and the latter rain to the earth.

What shall I do to thee, O Ephraim? what shall I do to thee, O Juda? your mercy is as a morning cloud, and as the dew that goeth away in the morning.

For this reason have I hewed them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments shall go forth as the light.

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than holocausts.

But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant, there have they dealt treacherously against me.

I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel: the fornications of Ephraim there: Israel is defiled.

And thou also, O Juda, set thee a harvest, when I shall bring back the captivity of my people.

When I would have healed Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria, for they have committed falsehood, and the thief is come in to steal, the robber is without.