Chapter 9
1 Don’t rejoice , Israel , to jubilation like the nations ; for you were unfaithful to your God. You love the wages of a prostitute at every grain threshing floor .
2 The threshing floor and the wine press won’t feed them , and the new wine will fail her.
3 They won’t dwell in the LORD ’s land; but Ephraim will return to Egypt , and they will eat unclean food in Assyria.
4 They won’t pour out wine offerings to the LORD , neither will they be pleasing to him . Their sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat of it will be polluted ; for their bread will be for their appetite . It will not come into the LORD ’s house .
5 What will you do in the day of solemn assembly , and in the day of the feast of the LORD ?
6 For , behold , when they flee destruction , Egypt will gather them up . Memphis will bury them . Nettles will possess their pleasant things of silver . Thorns will be in their tents.
7 The days of visitation have come . The days of reckoning have come . Israel will consider the prophet to be a fool, and the man who is inspired to be insane, because of the abundance of your sins , and because your hostility is great .
8 A prophet watches over Ephraim with my God. A fowler ’s snare is on all of his paths , and hostility in the house of his God.
9 They have deeply corrupted themselves , as in the days of Gibeah . He will remember their iniquity . He will punish them for their sins .
10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness . I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig tree at its first season; but they came to Baal Peor , and consecrated themselves to the shameful thing , and became abominable like that which they loved.
11 As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird . There will be no birth , no one with child , and no conception .
12 Though they bring up their children , yet I will bereave them , so that not a man shall be left . Indeed , woe also to them when I depart from them !
13 I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre , planted in a pleasant place ; but Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer .
14 Give them — LORD what will you give ? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts .
15 " All their wickedness is in Gilgal ; for there I hated them . Because of the wickedness of their deeds , I will drive them out of my house ! I will love them no more . All their princes are rebels .
16 Ephraim is struck . Their root has dried up . They will bear no fruit . Even though they give birth , yet I will kill the beloved ones of their womb."
17 My God will cast them away , because they didn’t listen to him ; and they will be wanderers amongst the nations .