The Hebrew Prophets

Therefore wil I be vnto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Iudah as a rottennesse.

When Ephraim sawe his sickenes, and Iudah his wound, then went Ephraim vnto Asshur, and sent vnto King Iareb: yet coulde hee not heale you, nor cure you of your wound.

For I will be vnto Ephraim as a lyon, and as a lyons whelpe to the house of Iudah: I, euen I will spoyle, and goe away: I will take away, and none shall rescue it.

I will go, and returne to my place, til they acknowledge their fault, and seeke me: in their affliction they will seeke me diligently.

Come, and let vs returne to the Lord: for he hath spoyled, and he will heale vs: he hath wounded vs, and he will binde vs vp.

After two dayes will he reuiue vs, and in the third day he will raise vs vp, and we shall liue in his sight.

Then shall we haue knowledge, and indeuour our selues to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning, and he shall come vnto vs as the raine, and as the latter raine vnto the earth.

O Ephraim, what shall I doe vnto thee? O Iudah, how shall I intreate thee? for your goodnesse is as a morning cloude, and as the morning dewe it goeth away.

Therefore haue I cut downe by the Prophets: I haue slaine them by the wordes of my mouth, and thy iudgements were as the light that goeth forth.

For I desired mercie, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more then burnt offrings.

But they like men haue transgressed the couenant: there haue they trespassed against me.

Gilead is a citie of them that worke iniquitie, and is polluted with blood.

And as the eues waite for a man, so the companie of Priestes murder in the way by consent: for they worke mischiefe.

I haue seene vileny in the house of Israel: there is ye whoredome of Ephraim: Israel is defiled.

Yea, Iudah hath set a plant for thee, whiles I woulde returne ye captiuitie of my people.

When I woulde haue healed Israel, then the iniquitie of Ephraim was discouered, and the wickednesse of Samaria: for they haue dealt falsly: and the theefe commeth in, and the robber spoyleth without.

And they consider not in their hearts, that I remember all their wickednes: now their owne inuentions haue beset them about: they are in my sight.

They make the King glad with their wickednesse, and the princes with their lies.

They are all adulterers, and as a very ouen heated by ye baker, which ceaseth from raysing vp, and from kneading ye dough vntill it be leauened.

This is the day of our King: the princes haue made him sicke with flagons of wine: he stretcheth out his hand to scorners.

For they haue made ready their heart like an ouen whiles they lie in waite: their baker sleepeth all the night: in the morning it burneth as a flame of fire.

They are all hote as an ouen, and haue deuoured their iudges: all their Kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth vnto me.

Ephraim hath mixt himselfe among the people. Ephraim is as a cake on the hearth not turned.

Strangers haue deuoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray heares are here and there vpon him, yet he knoweth not.

And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face, and they doe not returne to the Lord their God, nor seeke him for all this.