Judgment on Israel and Judah 1 UST You priests, listen to this! You people of Israel, pay attention! You members of the royal court, listen carefully, because I am going to judge you. because you have enticed the people to sin at Mizpah, and you have made them sin at Mount Tabor. BSB BSB: “Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O royal house! For this judgment is against you because you have been a snare at Mizpah, a net spread out on Tabor.
2 UST Those who have rebelled against me have killed many people, so I will punish all of them. BSB BSB: The rebels are deep in slaughter; but I will chastise them all.
3 UST I myself know all about you, people of Ephraim; I can see everything that the people of Israel do. Indeed, people of Ephraim, you have now been unfaithful to me{ by worshiping idols}, yes, the people of Israel have made themselves unacceptable to me. BSB BSB: I know all about Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me. For now, O Ephraim, you have turned to prostitution; Israel is defiled.
4 UST They prefer to do{ evil} things, so they refuse to worship their God any more. They do this because a strong desire to be physically and spiritually unfaithful is working among them, and they do not know Yahweh. BSB BSB: Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God, for a spirit of prostitution is within them, and they do not know the LORD.
5 UST The way that the people of Israel are so proud makes this clear to everyone. The people of Israel and Ephraim will fail because of how much they have sinned, and the people of Judah will fail with them. BSB BSB: Israel’s arrogance testifies against them; Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; even Judah stumbles with them.
6 UST They will bring their flocks and herds and try to appease Yahweh by making sacrifices to him, but he will not receive them because he has removed himself from them. BSB BSB: They go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, but they do not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.
7 UST Those nations have been like an unfaithful wife to Yahweh because their people are{ like} illegitimate children{; they do not belong to Yahweh}. So now,{ when they bring their sacrifices to} the New Moon{ Festival}, Yahweh will kill them as they kill the animals that they bring{ to sacrifice}. BSB BSB: They have been unfaithful to the LORD; for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the New Moon will devour them along with their land.
8 UST Blow a horn in Gibeah; blow a trumpet in Ramah! Sound the alarm at Beth Aven!{ The troops will follow} behind you, Benjamin! BSB BSB: Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; raise the battle cry in Beth-aven: Lead on, O Benjamin!
9 UST The people of Ephraim will become desolate when I punish them. I have declared to the tribes of Israel what will certainly happen. BSB BSB: Ephraim will be laid waste on the day of rebuke. Among the tribes of Israel I proclaim what is certain.
10 UST The leaders of Judah act like people{ who steal land by} moving boundary markers.{ Therefore,} I will punish them abundantly. BSB BSB: The princes of Judah are like those who move boundary stones; I will pour out My fury upon them like water.
11 UST I will cause the people of Ephraim to suffer greatly when I judge them because they were determined to worship worthless idols. BSB BSB: Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, for he is determined to follow worthless idols.
12 UST So I will destroy the people of Ephraim, just as moths{ eat through wool clothing}. I will destroy the people of Judah, just as rot{ eats through wood}. BSB BSB: So I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like decay to the house of Judah.
13 UST Then the leaders of Ephraim realized that their nation was weak and the leaders of Judah realized that their people were suffering. Then the leaders of Ephraim sent messengers to the king of Assyria{, asking for his help}. But that king cannot help Ephraim or take away the suffering of Judah. BSB BSB: 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.
14 UST This is because I will be like a lion to the people of Ephraim; I will be like a young lion to the people of Judah. I will be the one who will cause soldiers to kill many of them, and I will stop caring for them. I will cause soldiers to take them away, and no one will rescue them. BSB BSB: 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.
15 UST Then I will leave them to themselves, until they admit that they have sinned and that they need me to forgive them. When they are greatly suffering, then they will sincerely ask me to help them. BSB BSB: Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”