Then said he, "Call his name Loammi. For why? Ye are not my people, therefore will I not be yours.

And though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, which can neither be measured nor told: yet in the place where it is said unto them, 'Ye be not my people': even there shall it be thus reported of them, 'They be the children of the living God.'

Tell your brethren, that they are my people; and your sistren, that they have obtained mercy.

As for your mother, ye shall chide with her, and reprove her: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband, unless she put away her whoredoms out of my sight, and her adultery from her breasts.

Their mother hath broken her wedlock, and she that bare them, is come to confusion. For she said, 'I will go after my lovers, that give me my water and my bread, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.'

and though she run after her lovers, yet shall she not get them: she shall seek them, but not find them. Then shall she say, 'Well, I will go turn again to my first husband, for at that time was I better at ease, than now.'

Wherefore now will I go take my corn and wine again in their season, and fet again my wool and my flax, which I gave her to cover her shame.

And now will I discover her foolishness, even in the sight of her lovers, and no man shall deliver her out of my hands.

I will destroy her vineyards and fig trees, though she sayeth, 'Lo, here are my rewards, that my lovers have given me.' I will make it a wood, and the wild beasts shall eat it up.

I will punish her also for the days of Baal, wherein she censed him, decking him with her earrings and chains: when she followed her lovers, and forgat me, sayeth the LORD.

Then, sayeth the LORD, she shall say unto me, 'O my husband,' and shall call me no more Baal.

I will sow them upon earth, for a seed to mine own self, and will have mercy upon her, that was without mercy. And to them which were not my people, I will say, 'Thou art my people.' And he shall say, 'Thou art my God.'"

Then said the LORD to me, "Go yet thy way and vow an adulterous woman, whom thy neighbour loveth as the LORD doth the children of Israel: howbeit, they have respect to strange gods, and love the wine cans."

and said unto her, "Thou shalt bide with me a long season, but see that thou playest not the harlot, and look thou meddle with none other man, and then will I keep myself for thee."

My people perish, because they have no knowledge. Seeing then that thou hast refused understanding, therefore will I refuse thee also: so that thou shalt no more be my priest. And forsomuch as thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

The more they increased in multitude, the more they sinned against me, therefore will I change their honour into shame.

They eat up the sins of my people, and courage them in their wickedness.

My people ask counsel at their stocks, their staff must tell them. For a whorish mind hath deceived them, so that they commit fornication against their God.

I know Ephraim well enough, and Israel is not hid from me: for Ephraim is become a harlot, and Israel is defiled.

Yet are the princes of Judah become like them, that remove the landmarks: therefore will I pour out my wrath upon them like water.

I am unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a lion's whelp to the house of Judah. Even I, I will spoil them, and go my way. I will take them with me, and no man shall rescue them.

I will go, and return to my place, till they wax faint, and seek me.

In their adversity they shall seek me, and say, "Come, let us turn again to the LORD: for he hath smitten us, and he shall heal us;

Therefore have I cut down the prophets, and let them be slain for my words' sake: so that thy punishment shall come to light.

But even like as Adam did, so have they broken my covenant, and set me at naught.

But Judah shall have a harvest for himself, when I return the captivity of my people.

they are altogether as hot as an oven. They have devoured their own judges, all their kings are fallen: yet is there none of them that calleth upon me.

but while they be going here and there, I shall spread my net over them, and draw them down as the fowls of the air. And according as they have been warned, so will I punish them.

Woe be unto them, for they have forsaken me. They must be destroyed, for they have set me at naught. I am he that have redeemed them, and yet they dissemble with me.

They call not upon me with their hearts, but lie howling upon their beds. Whereas they come together, it is but for meat and drink, and me will they not obey.

I have taught them, and defended their army, yet do they imagine mischief against me.

Set the horn to thy mouth, and blow: get thee swiftly as an Eagle into the house of the LORD: for they have broken my covenant, and transgressed my law.

Israel can say unto me, "Thou art my God, we know thee,"

They have ordained kings, but not through me: they have made princes, and I must not know of it. Of their silver and gold have they made them images, to bring themselves to destruction.

Thy calf, O Samaria, shall be taken away, for my wrathful indignation is gone forth against thee. How long will it be, before they can be cleansed?

Though I show them my law never so much, they count it but strange doctrine.

Ephraim hath made himself a watchman of my God, a prophet that is become a snare to do hurt in every street, and abomination in the house of his God.

I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, and saw their fathers as the first figs in the top of the fig tree. But they are gone to Baalpeor, and run away from me to that shameful Idol, and are become as abominable as their lovers.

Ephraim, as me think, is planted in wealthiness, like as Tyre, but now must she bring her own children forth to the manslayer.

All their wickedness is done at Gilgal, there do I abhor them. For the ungraciousness of their own inventions, I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more, for all their princes are unfaithful.

My God shall cast them away, for they have not been obedient unto him, therefore shall they go astray among the Heathen.

Ephraim was unto me, as a cow that is used to go to plow; therefore I loved him, and fell upon his fair neck. I drove Ephraim, Judah plowed, and Jacob played the husbandman:

When Israel was young, I loved him: and called my son out of the land of Egypt.

I learned Ephraim to go, and bare them in mine arms, but they regarded not me that would have helped them.

that they should not go again into Egypt. And now is Assyria their king: for they would not turn unto me.

My people hath no lust to turn unto me, their prophets lay the yoke upon them, but they ease them not of their burden.

What great things have I given thee, O Ephraim? How faithfully have I defended thee, O Israel? Have I dealt with thee as with Adam? Or have I entreated thee like Zeboim? No, my heart is otherwise minded. Yea, my mercy is to fervent:

therefore have I not turned me to destroy Ephraim in my wrathful displeasure. For I am God, and no man: I am even that holy one in the midst of thee, though I came not within the city.

The LORD roareth like a lion, that they may follow him. Yea, as a lion roareth he, that they may be afraid like the children of the sea:

that they may be scattered away from Egypt, as men scare birds: and frayed away, as doves used to be, from the Assyrians' land: and that because I would have them tarry at home, sayeth the LORD.

But Ephraim goeth about me with lies, and the house of Israel dissembleth. Only Judah holdeth him with God, and with the true holy things.

Ephraim thinketh thus, "Tush, I am rich, I have good enough: In all my works shall not one fault be found, that I have offended."

I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: that thou shouldest know no God but me only, and that thou shouldest have no Saviour but only me.

But when they were well fed and had enough, they waxed proud, and forgot me.

O Israel, thou doest but destroy thyself; In me only is thy help.

Where are thy kings now, that shouldest help thee in all thy cities? Yea and thy judges, of whom thou sayest, "Give me a king and princes?"

Well, I gave thee a king in my wrath, and in my displeasure will I take him from thee again.

I will heal their obedience and will love them of mine own accord: for my wrath is ceased from them.

Ephraim, what have ye any more to do with idols? I have healed him and looked on him. I will be as a great fir tree, and of me shall thy fruit be found.