When I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is revealed, and the wickedness of Samaria. For they deal deceitfully; the thief breaks in; the robbers raid outside,
Woe to the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower which is at the head of the fertile valley of those who are overcome with wine!
For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us. And as for our iniquities, we know them:
transgressing, and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
We applied healing to Babylon, but she is not healed. Forsake her, and let us each go into his own country; for her judgment reaches to heaven and is lifted up even to the skies.
Now your elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters who dwell north of you. And your younger sister who dwells south of you is Sodom and her daughters.
Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. And they were mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah.
In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I would have purged you, yet you are not purged, you shall not be purged from your filthiness anymore until I have caused My fury to rest on you.
The inhabitants of Samaria fear because of the calf of Beth-aven. For its people mourn for it, and its priests shriek for it, because its glory has departed from it.
How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboyim? My heart churns within Me; My compassion is stirred.
Ephraim feeds on the wind and chases after the east wind all day long. He multiplies lies and devastation. They make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried to Egypt.
Hear this, O priests! Pay attention, O house of Israel! Listen, O house of the king! For the judgment is for you, because you have been a snare at Mizpah and a net spread over Tabor,
Woe to them, for they have fled from Me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against Me! Though I would redeem them, yet they speak lies against Me.
Proclaim to the fortresses in Ashdod, and the fortresses in the land of Egypt, and say: “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great disorders within her, and the oppression in her midst.”
Those who swear by Ashimah of Samaria, and say, “By the life of your god, O Dan,” and, “By the life of the way of Beer-sheba” — they shall fall and never rise again.
You observe the statutes of Omri, and every practice of the house of Ahab, and you walk in their counsels. Therefore I will give you over to destruction, and the inhabitants to derision. You will bear the contempt of My people.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you, how often I would have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not!
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing!