1 "Listen to me, you priests! Pay attention, people of Israel! Listen, you members of the royal family! Here is my decision against you. You have been like a trap at Mizpah. You have been like a net spread out on Mount Tabor.
2 You refuse to obey me. You offer sacrifices to other gods. So I will punish all of you.
3 People of Ephraim, I know all about you. What you are doing is not hidden from me. Now you have joined yourselves to other gods. You have made yourselves 'unclean.'
4 "You can't return to me because you have done so many evil things. In your hearts you long to act like prostitutes. You do not recognize me as the Lord.
5 Israel, your pride witnesses that you are guilty. People of Ephraim, you trip and fall because you have sinned. Judah, you fall down along with them.
6 Israel, you will come to worship me. You will bring your animals to offer as sacrifices. But you will not find me. I have turned away from you.
7 You are not faithful to me. Your children do not belong to me. The way you act at your New Moon Feasts will destroy you and your fields.
8 "My people, blow trumpets in Gibeah! Blow horns in Ramah! Shout the battle cry in Bethel! Say to Benjamin, 'The Assyrian army is coming!'
9 People of Ephraim, you will be completely destroyed when it is time for me to punish you. You can be sure it will happen. I am announcing it among your tribes.
10 Judah, your leaders have stolen some land. They have moved their borders farther north. So I will pour out my anger on you like a flood of water.
11 Ephraim, you will soon be crushed. The Assyrians will stomp all over you. It will happen because you have made up your minds to chase after other gods.
12 Ephraim, I will be like a moth to you. Judah, I will cause you to rot away.
13 "Ephraim, you saw how sick you were. Judah, you saw that you were wounded. Ephraim, you turned to Assyria for help. You sent gifts to the great King Tiglath-Pileser. But he is not able to make you well. He can't heal your wounds.
14 Ephraim, I will be like a lion to you. Judah, I will attack you like a powerful lion. I will tear you to pieces. I will drag you off. Then I will leave you. No one will be able to save you.