5 What will they do on the day of an appointed festivalor on the Lord’s festival days?
6 Even if they escape without being destroyed,Egypt will capture themand Memphis will bury them.Weeds will grow over their silver treasures.Thorns will grow over their tents.
7 The time for them to be punished will come.The time for them to pay for their sins will come.⌊When this happens,⌋ Israel will know it.⌊They think that⌋ prophets are foolsand that spiritual people are crazy.They have sinned a lot, and they are very hostile.
8 Prophets are God’s watchmen over Ephraim.Yet, traps are set on every prophet’s path,and people are hostile in the temple of their God.
9 People have deeply corrupted themselves as they once did at Gibeah.God will remember their wickednessand punish them because of their sins.
10 ⌊The Lord said,⌋ “When I found Israel,it was like finding grapes in the desert.When I saw your ancestors,it was like seeing the first figs of the harvest.But they went to Baal Peor and worshiped shameful idols.They became as disgusting as the things they worshiped.
11 “Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird.There will be no more pregnancies, births, or babies.