This is the word of the Lord which was revealed to Hosea son of Beeri during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah ruled Judah, and during the time when Jeroboam son of Joash ruled Israel.

When a message from the LORD came to Hosea, the LORD told him, "Go marry a prostitute and have children with her, because the land is prostituting itself by departing from the LORD."

And, when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.

Despite this, the number of the people of Israel will be like ocean sand, which can neither be measured nor counted. And the time will come when instead of it being said, "You are not my people,' it will be said, "You are children of the living God.'

Otherwise, I will strip her naked, and expose her like she was when she was born. I will turn her land into a wilderness and make her country a parched land, so that I might kill her with thirst.

Indeed, their mother has committed prostitution the one who has been conceiving them has acted disgracefully when she said, "I'm going after my lovers, who provide me food and water, as well as my wool, my flax, my oil, and my wine.'

And, when she shall pursue her lovers, and not overtake them, and shall seek them and not find, then will she say, Let me go my way now! and return unto my first husband, for it was better with me, then, than, now!

Therefore, I will take back my grain during the harvest time and my new wine when it ripens; I will take away my wool and my flax which I had provided in order to clothe her.

"I will punish her for the festival days when she burned incense to the Baal idols; she adorned herself with earrings and jewelry, and went after her lovers, but she forgot me!" says the Lord.

Then will I give to her her vineyards from thence, and the vale of Achor for a door of hope, - and she will respond there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or [idolatrous] pillar, and without ephod or teraphim (household idols).

When they became many, their sin increased against me; they changed their glory into shame.

I do not bring punishment upon your daughters when they become unchaste, nor upon your brides, when they commit adultery, for, the men themselves, with unchaste women, do seclude themselves, and, with the common women of the shrine, do offer sacrifice, - and, a people who will not discern, must be ruined.

When their drinking has ended, they surely indulge in sexual orgies. They love lewdness more than their glory.

Ephraim will be desolate when it is rebuked. I have made known among the tribes of Israel what will surely come about.

Oppressed is Ephraim, broken in judgment, When he pleased he went after the command.

When Ephraim, saw, his injury, and Judah his wound, then went Ephraim unto Assyria, and Judah sent unto a hostile king, - yet, he, cannot heal you, nor will the wound, remove from you.

"I will leave and go back to my place until they admit their offense and seek my face. When affliction comes to them, they will eagerly seek me."

"So, Judah, a harvest has been appointed for you when I restore my people from captivity."

When I would have brought healing to Israel, then was disclosed the iniquity of Ephraim, and the wicked doings of Samaria, for they have wrought falsehood, - when, a thief, would enter, a band roamed about, outside,

They are all adulterers;
Like the heat of an oven
When the baker ceases to stir the fire, [their passion smolders]
From the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.

When they go I spread over them My net, As the fowl of the heavens I bring them down, I chastise them as their company hath heard.

Woe to them! for they have taken flight from me, destruction to them! for they have transgressed against me, - when, I, would have ransomed them, then, they, spake - concerning me - falsehoods.

And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.

When, I, had warned them, I strengthened their arm, - yet, against me, kept they on devising wickedness.

Cast off hath thy calf, O Samaria, Burned hath Mine anger against them, Till when are they not capable of purity?

Even though they hire them among the nations, at once, will I gather them, when they have begun to be diminished by reason of the burden of the king of rulers.

When Ephraim multiplied altars to expiate sins, they became to him altars to sin [on].

"What will you do on the designated holiday, when the LORD's festival comes?

Like grapes in the desert, found I Israel, like the first-ripe in the fig-tree when it is young, saw I your fathers, - they, entered Baal-peor, and devoted themselves to the Shameful Thing, Then became their abominations like their lusts.

Yea, though they rear their children, yet will I make them childless, till there be no human being, - for it is, nothing less than woe, to them when I depart from them!

Ephraim! when I have looked to the rock, Is planted in comeliness, And Ephraim is to bring out unto a slayer his sons.

They utter words of vain oaths [when] {making covenants}, and judgment blossoms like a poisonous plant on the furrows of the field.

O Israel, you have [willfully] sinned since the days of Gibeah;
There they (Israel) stand!
Will not the battle against the sons of wickedness overtake them at Gibeah?

When I please, then will I chastise them, - and there shall be gathered together against them - peoples, they being harnessed to their two Iniquities;

But, Ephraim, shall be a heifer broken in, loving to tread out corn, when, I, have passed over upon her fair neck, - I will drive Ephraim, Judah, shall plow, Jacob, shall harrow to him.

The roar of battle will rise against your people; all your fortresses will be devastated, just as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.

So will it happen to you, O Bethel, because of your great wickedness! When that day dawns, the king of Israel will be destroyed.

When Israel was, a child, then I loved him, - and, out of Egypt, called I my son.

When I sent for them, then they went away from me; they made offerings to the Baals, burning perfumes to images.

I cannot execute the glow of mine anger, I cannot turn to destroy Ephraim, - for, GOD, am, I, and not man, When thou drawest near, I am a Holy One, though I do not enter a city.

After Yahweh, let them go, Like a lion, will he roar, - When, he, shall roar, then let sons, come trembling, out of the West.

He took his brother by the heel, when he was yet in his mother's womb: and in his strength he wrestled with God.

But I have been the Lord your God since [you became a nation in] the land of Egypt;
I will make you live in tents again,
As in the days of the appointed and solemn festival.

When Jacob fled to the country of Syria, then Israel served for a wife, and, for a wife, he watched over a flock.

When Ephraim, spake, there was terror, exalted was, he, in Israel, - but, when he became guilty with Baal, then he died.

When they were fed, they became satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; as a result, they forgot me!

The pangs of a woman in labour, shall overtake him, - he, is a son, not wise, for, now, he cannot stand still, when children are about to be born.

Yet can I see no comfort, for when he is now the goodliest among the brethren, the East wind, even the wind of the LORD, shall come down from the wilderness, and dry up his conduits, and drink up his wells: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.