Study Desk

Their deeds will not allow them To return to their God. For a spirit of infidelity is within them, And they do not know the LORD.

They have dealt treacherously with the LORD, For they have given birth to illegitimate children. Now the new moon will devour them with their land.

For I will be like a lion to Ephraim And like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, yes I, will tear to pieces and go away, I will carry away, and there will be no one to rescue.

I will go away and return to My place Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face; In their distress they will search for Me.

"Come, let's return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.

What shall I do with you, Ephraim? What shall I do with you, Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning cloud, And like the dew which goes away early.

For I desire loyalty rather than sacrifice, And the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

And as a band of robbers lie in wait for a person, So a band of priests murder on the way to Shechem; Certainly they have committed an act of infamy.

Also, Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, When I restore the fortunes of My people.

When I would heal Israel, The wrongdoing of Ephraim is uncovered, And the evil deeds of Samaria, For they practice deception; The thief enters, A band of robbers attack outside,

For their hearts are like an oven As they approach their plotting; Their anger smolders all night, In the morning it burns like flaming fire.

Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me! Destruction is theirs, for they have rebelled against Me! I would redeem them, but they have spoken lies against Me.

And they do not cry to Me from their heart When they wail on their beds; For the sake of grain and new wine they assemble themselves, They turn against Me.

They have set up kings, but not by Me; They have appointed officials, but I did not know it. With their silver and gold they have made idols for themselves, So that they will be eliminated.

For from Israel comes even this! A craftsman made it, so it is not God; Assuredly, the calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces.

For they sow wind And they harvest a storm. The standing grain has no kernels; It yields no grain. If it were to yield, strangers would swallow it.

For they have gone up to Assyria, Like a wild donkey all alone; Ephraim has paid fees for lovers.

Even though they pay for allies among the nations, I will gather them up now; And they will begin to diminish Because of the burden of the king of officials.

Since Ephraim has multiplied altars for sin, They have become altars of sinning for him.

Though I wrote for him ten thousand precepts of My Law, They are regarded as a strange thing.