Study Desk

They will go with their flocks and cattle to look for the Lord, but they will not find Him. He has gone away from them.

I will go away and return to My place until they know they are guilty and look for Me. In their suffering they will try to find Me."

"Whenever I would heal Israel, I see the sin of Ephraim and the wrong-doing of Samaria. They are false in their ways. The robber breaks into houses, and sinful men rob in the streets.

They do not think about how I remember all the sinful things they do. Their sins are all around them, and are always before Me.

They make the king glad with their wrong-doing, and the leaders with their lies.

Their hearts are like a hot stove as they make their plans. Their anger smokes all night, and in the morning it burns like a hot fire.

All of them are hot like a stove, and they destroy their leaders. All their kings have fallen, and none of them calls to Me for help.

It is bad for them, for they have turned away from Me! They will be destroyed, for they would not obey Me! I would save them and make them free, but they speak lies against Me.

They do not cry out to Me from their heart when they cry on their beds. They come together for grain and new wine, but turn away from Me.

I taught them and gave strength to their arms, yet they make sinful plans against Me.

They do not turn to the Most High. They are like a bow that does not work right. Their leaders will be killed by the sword because of their proud words. And those in the land of Egypt will laugh at them.

They have set up kings, but not by Me. They have chosen leaders, but I did not know it. They have made false gods for themselves out of silver and gold, so they will be destroyed.

They plant the wind and they will gather the storm. The standing grain has no heads, and will give no food. If it were to give food, strangers would eat it.

Even when they hire people among the nations to help them, I will now gather them together. And they will begin to waste away because the powerful king will make it hard for them.

They give gifts to Me and eat the meat of the gifts, but the Lord is not pleased with them. Now He will remember their wrong-doing and punish them for their sins. They will return to Egypt.

The grain-floor and the place where the grapes are crushed will not feed them. And they will not have enough new wine.

They will not stay in the Lord's land, but Ephraim will return to Egypt. And in Assyria they will eat unclean food.

They have gone deep into sin, as in the days of Gibeah. The Lord will remember their wrong-doing, and will punish their sins.

"I found Israel like grapes in the desert. I saw your fathers like the first-fruit on the fig tree in its first year. But they came to Baal-peor and gave themselves to that false god of shame. They became as sinful as the thing they loved.

Ephraim's greatness will fly away like a bird. There will be no more children born to them, and they will not be able to have children.