Study Desk

Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. For the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they do not know the Lord .

They have dealt faithlessly with the Lord ; for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the new moon shall devour them along with their fields.

For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I myself will tear and go away; I will carry off, and no one shall rescue.

"Come, let us return to the Lord ; for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us; he has struck down, and he will bind us up.

For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

As robbers lie in wait for someone, so the priests are banded together; they murder on the road to Shechem, they commit a monstrous crime.

For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed. When I would restore the fortunes of my people,

when I would heal Israel, the corruption of Ephraim is revealed, and the wicked deeds of Samaria; for they deal falsely, the thief breaks in, and the bandits raid outside.

For they are kindled like an oven, their heart burns within them; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.

Israel's pride testifies against him; yet they do not return to the Lord their God, or seek him, for all this.

Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me.

They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; they gash themselves for grain and wine; they rebel against me.

They turn to that which does not profit; they have become like a defective bow; their officials shall fall by the sword because of the rage of their tongue. So much for their babbling in the land of Egypt.

They made kings, but not through me; they set up princes, but without my knowledge. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction.

For it is from Israel, an artisan made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.

For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads, it shall yield no meal; if it were to yield, foreigners would devour it.

For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild ass wandering alone; Ephraim has bargained for lovers.

When Ephraim multiplied altars to expiate sin, they became to him altars for sinning.

Though I write for him the multitude of my instructions, they are regarded as a strange thing.

Do not rejoice, O Israel! Do not exult as other nations do; for you have played the whore, departing from your God. You have loved a prostitute's pay on all threshing floors.