Study Desk

They return, but not upwards; they are like a deceitful bow; their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

They have set up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, and I did not know it: of their silver and their gold they have made for themselves idols, that they may be cut off.

For from Israel is even this; the workman made it, and it is not God; yes, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: he has no standing grain; the blade shall yield no meal; if it does yield, strangers shall swallow it up.

For they have gone up to Assyria, [like] a wild donkey alone by himself: Ephraim has hired lovers.

Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, altars have been to him for sinning.

I wrote for him the ten thousand things of my law; but they are counted as a strange thing.

As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it; but Yahweh does not accept them: now he will remember their iniquity, and visit their sins; they shall return to Egypt.

For Israel has forgotten his Maker, and built palaces; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities: but I will send a fire on his cities, and it shall devour the castles thereof.

Don't rejoice, O Israel, for joy, like the peoples; for you have prostituted [away] from your God; you have loved hire on every grain-floor.

They shall not pour out wine-offerings to Yahweh, neither shall they be pleasing to him: their sacrifices shall be to them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted; for their bread shall be for their appetite; it shall not come into the house of Yahweh.

For, look, they have gone away from destruction; [yet] Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them; their pleasant things of silver, nettles shall possess them; thorns shall be in their tents.

The days of visitation have come, the days of recompense have come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the man that has the spirit is insane, for the abundance of your iniquity, and because the enmity is great.

Ephraim [was] a watchman with my God: as for the prophet, a fowler's snare is in all his ways, [and] enmity in the house of his God.

As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird: there shall be no birth, and no pregnancy, and no conception.

All their wickedness is in Gilgal; for there I hated them: because of the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of my house; I will love them no more; all their princes are revolters.

Surely now they shall say, We have no king; for we don't fear Yahweh; and the king, what can he do for us?

The inhabitants of Samaria shall be in terror for the calves of Beth-aven; for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced over it, for the glory thereof, because it has departed from it.

It also shall be carried to Assyria for a present to the great king: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap according to kindness; break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek Yahweh, until he comes and rains righteousness on you.