5:1 “·Listen [Hear this], you priests. Pay attention, ·people [L house] of Israel. Listen, ·royal family [L house of the king], because you will all be judged. You have been like a ·trap [snare] at Mizpah and like a net spread out at Mount Tabor [C hunting places in Israel].
5:2 ·You have done many evil things [L The rebels are deep into slaughter; or You have dug a deep pit at Shittim/Acacia], so I will ·punish [discipline] you all.
5:3 I know all about Ephraim [C Israel; 4:17]; what Israel has done is not hidden from me. Now Ephraim acts like a prostitute, and Israel has ·made itself unclean [L defiled himself].
5:4 “·They will not give up their deeds and [or Their deeds won’t let them] return to their God. ·They are determined to be unfaithful to me [L For a spirit of prostitution is within them]; they do not know the Lord.
5:5 Israel’s ·pride [arrogance] testifies against them. ·The people of Israel [L Israel and Ephraim; 4:17] will stumble because of their ·sin [iniquity], and ·the people of Judah [L Judah] will stumble with them.
5:6 They will come to ·worship [L seek] the Lord, bringing their flocks and herds, but they will not be able to find him, because he has ·left [withdrawn from] them.
5:7 They have ·not been true to [been unfaithful to; dealt treacherously with] the Lord; they ·are children who do not belong to him [or bear illegitimate/alien children]. So ·their false worship [L a new moon; C a festival] will ·destroy [L devour] them and their ·land [wealth; portion].
5:8 “Blow the ·horn [trumpet; ram’s horn] in Gibeah and the trumpet in Ramah [C used to sound a warning or call to battle]. ·Give the warning [Sound the alarm; Raise the battle cry] at Beth Aven [4:15], ·and be first into battle [or lead on; or we are with you], ·people of Benjamin [L Benjamin].
5:9 ·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17] will be ·ruined [laid waste; desolate] on the day of ·punishment [rebuke; reckoning]. To the tribes of Israel I ·tell the truth [L make known what is certain].
5:10 The ·leaders [princes] of Judah are like those who ·steal other people’s land [L move boundary markers; C a serious crime in the ancient world; Deut. 19:14; 27:17; Prov. 15:25]. I will pour my ·punishment over [wrath on] them like ·a flood of water [L water].
5:11 ·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17] is ·beaten down [oppressed] and crushed by the ·punishment [judgment], because it ·decided [was determined] to follow ·idols [or worthless things; or human precepts].
5:12 I am like a moth to ·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17], like ·a rot [wood rot; decay] to the ·people [L house] of Judah.
5:13 “When ·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17] saw its illness and Judah saw its ·wounds [or sores], ·Israel [L Ephraim] went to Assyria for help and sent to the great ·king of Assyria [L king]. But he cannot heal you or cure your wounds.
5:14 I will be like a lion to ·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17], like a young lion to ·Judah [L the house of Judah]. ·I will attack them and tear them to pieces [L I, even I, will tear them and go away]. I will drag them off, and no one will be able to ·save [rescue] them.
5:15 Then I will go back to my ·place [lair; dwelling place] until they ·suffer for [or admit] their guilt and ·turn back to me [L seek my face]. In their ·trouble [distress; affliction] they will look for me.”
Your support helps pay our hosting costs, and
- with a little bit extra -
lets us pay transcribers and proofreaders.
If you can help, Click here to become a Patreon:
www.patreon.com/IslamAwakened Thank you!