9
Israel’s Punishment
1 Do not rejoice, O Israel,
with exultation like the nations,
for you have played the harlot against your God;
you have made love for hire on every threshing floor.
2 The threshing floor and winepress will not feed them,
and the new wine will fail them.
3 They will not remain
in the land of the LORD;
Ephraim will return to Egypt
and eat unclean food in Assyria.
4 They will not pour out wine offerings to the LORD,
and their sacrifices will not please Him,
but will be to them like the bread of mourners;
all who eat will be defiled.
For their bread will be for themselves;
it will not enter the house of the LORD.
5 What will you do on the appointed day,
on the day of the LORD’s feast?
6 For even if they flee destruction,
Egypt will gather them
and Memphis will bury them.
Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles,
and thorns will overrun their tents.
7 The days of punishment have come;
the days of retribution have arrived—
let Israel know it.
The prophet is called a fool,
and the inspired man insane,
because of the greatness
of your iniquity and hostility.
8 The prophet is Ephraim’s watchman,
along with my God,
yet the snare of the fowler lies on all his paths.
Hostility is in the house of his God!
9 They have deeply corrupted themselves
as in the days of Gibeah;
He will remember their guilt;
He will punish their sins.
10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness.
I saw your fathers as the firstfruits
of the fig tree in its first season.
But they went to Baal-peor,
and consecrated themselves to Shame;
so they became as detestable
as the thing they loved.
11 Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird,
with no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.
12 Even if they raise their children,
I will bereave them of each one.
Yes, woe be to them
when I turn away from them!
13 I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre,
planted in a meadow.
But Ephraim will bring out
his children for slaughter.
14 Give them, O LORD—
what will You give?
Give them wombs that miscarry
and breasts that dry up!
15 All their evil appears at Gilgal,
for there I hated them.
I will drive them from My house
for the wickedness of their deeds.
I will no longer love them;
all their leaders are rebellious.
16 Ephraim is struck down;
their root is withered;
they cannot bear fruit.
Even if they bear children,
I will slay the darlings of their wombs.
17 My God will reject them
because they have not obeyed Him;
and they shall be wanderers
among the nations.