Hosea 9
The Punishment for
Israel's Persistent Unfaithfulness |
1 |
Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou
hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.
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2 |
The floor and the winepress shall not
feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.
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3 |
They shall not dwell in the LORD's land; but E'phra-im shall return to Egypt, and
they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.
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4 |
They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall
they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto
them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be
polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the
house of the LORD.
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5 |
What will ye do in the solemn day, and
in the day of the feast of the LORD?
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6 |
For, lo, they are gone because of
destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them:
the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess
them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.
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7 |
The days of visitation Lk. 21.22 are come, the days of recompense are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great
hatred.
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8 |
The watchman of E'phra-im was with
my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all
his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.
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9 |
They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gib'e-ah: Judg. 19.1-30 therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will
visit their sins.
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10 |
I found Israel like grapes in the
wilderness; I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig tree at
her first time: but they went to Ba'al-pe'or, Num. 25.1-5 and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.
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11 |
As for E'phra-im, their glory
shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and
from the conception.
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12 |
Though they bring up their children, yet
will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from
them!
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13 |
E'phra-im, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but E'phra-im shall bring forth his
children to the murderer.
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14 |
Give them, O LORD:
what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry
breasts.
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15 |
All their wickedness is in
Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I
will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all
their princes are revolters.
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16 |
E'phra-im is smitten, their root is dried
up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will
I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb.
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17 |
My God will cast them away, because they
did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the
nations.
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