1
Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.
2
And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all.
3
I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.
4
They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD.
5
And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity: Judah also shall fall with them.
6
They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them.
7
They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.
8
Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin.
9
Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.
10
The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.
11
Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.
12
Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
13
When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.
14
For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.
15
I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.
Hosea 5 Study & Commentary
Overview & Chapter Summary
Hosea 5 - Judgment on Leaders: God pronounces judgment on the priests, the house of the king, and the princes of Judah for their pride and for seeking help from foreign powers like Assyria instead of God.
Theological Context & Insights
THEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
1. Pride Testifies (v. 5): The pride of Israel is the very witness that condemns them.
2. The Moth and Rottenness: God describes His judgment not just as a sudden strike, but as a gradual "moth" (to Ephraim) and "rottenness" (to Judah).
3. Seeking the Face: God will withdraw His presence until the people acknowledge their offense and seek Him early.
Practical Lessons & Daily Application
PRACTICAL LESSONS
1. The Decay of Sin: Sin often destroys a life or a nation from the inside out, like a moth, before the final collapse.
2. Sovereign Withdrawal: God may "go and return to his place" to make us realize how much we need Him.
