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 LORD spoke at the first by Hosea, LORD said to Hosea, Go, take to thee a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom, departing from LORD.

Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bore 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.'

Lest I strip her naked and expose her like the day when she was born; I will make her like the desert and turn her into parched land; I will 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.

And I will visit upon her the days of the Baalim, to which she burned incense when she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and went after her lovers, and forgot me, says LORD.

And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope; and she shall sing 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 will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your daughters-in-law for their committing adultery; for they themselves go aside with harlots, and they sacrifice with prostitutes: and the people that doth not understand shall come to ruin.

When their drinking is over,
they turn to promiscuity.
Israel’s leaders fervently love disgrace.

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 sickness, and Judah his sore, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb; but he was unable to heal you, nor hath he removed your sore.

"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."

Also, for thee, Judah, is a harvest appointed, when I shall turn again the captivity of my people.

When I would heal Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim is discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they practise falsehood; and the thief entereth in, and the troop of robbers assaileth without.

All these burn in adultery, as it were an oven that the baker heateth when he hath left kneading, till the dough be leavened.

When they go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowl of the heavens; I will chastise them, according as their assembly 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 cried not unto me in their heart, when they howled upon their beds; they assemble themselves for corn and new wine; they have turned aside from 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 his altars for sin,
they became his altars for sinning.

"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.

For even should they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that not a man remain: for woe also to them when I shall have departed 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?

At my pleasure will I chastise them; and the peoples shall be assembled against them, when they are bound for 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.

Therefore a tumult will arise among your people,
And all your fortresses will be destroyed,
As Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle,
When mothers were dashed in pieces 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 I called 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.

They shall walk after Jehovah; he shall roar like a lion; when he shall roar, then the children shall hasten from 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.

Yet am I the LORD thy God, even as when I brought thee out of the land of Egypt, and set thee in thy tents, and as in the high feast days.

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 spoke, there was trembling; he exalted himself in Israel: but he trespassed through Baal, and he died.

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