A message from the LORD came to Beeri's son Hosea during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Joash's son Jeroboam, who was king of Israel.

So he went out and married Diblaim's daughter Gomer. She conceived with him and gave birth to a son.

After Gomer had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived again and gave birth to a son,

They feed on the sin of my people; they purpose in their heart to transgress.

I have seen a horrible evil in the house of Israel Ephraim's promiscuity. Israel is defiled.

"When I was healing Israel, Ephraim's sin was uncovered, along with Samaria's wickedness. While they craft lying schemes, the thief invades, and the gang of thieves plunders outside.

It never occurs to them that I remember all their sin. Now their actions have caught up with them, and they have my attention.

"The more altars Ephraim builds for sin, the more altars there will be for sin.

The time for your judgment has now come; payday is here and Israel knows it. The prophet is a fool, and the spiritual man is insane. Because of your great sin, the hatred against you is great.

Destroyed will be the high places of Aven, that are the sin of Israel. Both thorn and thistle will grow up over their altars. They will call out to the mountains, "Cover us!' and to the hills, "Fall on us!'

"When Israel was a young child I loved him, and from Egypt I called my son.

Ephraim claims, "I have become rich, I have made a fortune! Because of all my wealth, no one will find any iniquity or sin in me.'

"Ephraim's guilt is on record; his sin is stored away.