Ephraimis a trainedheiferthat lovesto thresh,But I will comeoverher fairneck[with a yoke]; I will harnessEphraim,Judahwill plow,Jacobwill harrowfor himself.
Does the farmerplowcontinuallyto plantseed?Does he [continually] turnand harrowthe ground?
For thussaysthe LORDof hosts,the Godof Israel,"I have puta yokeof ironon the neckof allthesenations,that they may serveNebuchadnezzarkingof Babylon;and they will servehim. And I have alsogivenhim the beastsof the field."'"
"Egyptis a prettyheifer,[But] a horseflyis comingfrom the north--it is coming!
"Becauseyou are glad,becauseyou are jubilant,O you who pillageMy heritage,Becauseyou skipaboutlike a threshingheiferAnd neighlike stallions,
I ledthem with cordsof a man,with bondsof love,And I becameto them as one who liftsthe yokefrom their jaws;And I bentdown[and] fedthem.
"For their motherhas playedthe harlot;She who conceivedthem has actedshamefully.For she said,I will goaftermy lovers,Who give[me] my breadand my water,My wooland my flax,my oiland my drink.'
Then the LORDsaidto me, "Goagain,lovea woman[who] is lovedby [her] husband,yet an adulteress,even as the LORDlovesthe sonsof Israel,though they turnto othergodsand loveraisincakes."
SinceIsraelis stubbornLike a stubbornheifer,Can the LORDnowpasturethem Like a lambin a largefield?
Do not rejoice,O Israel,with exultationlike the nations!For you have playedthe harlot,forsakingyour God.You have loved[harlots]' earningson everythreshingfloor.
"Ariseand thresh,daughterof Zion,For your hornI will makeironAnd your hoofsI will makebronze,That you may pulverizemanypeoples,That you may devoteto the LORDtheir unjustgainAnd their wealthto the Lordof allthe earth.
For such menare slaves,not of our LordChristbut of their ownappetites;and by their smoothand flattering speechthey deceivethe heartsof the unsuspecting.
"You shall not muzzlethe oxwhile he is threshing.
