Whatshall I dowith you, O Ephraim?Whatshall I dowith you, O Judah?For your loyaltyis like a morningcloudAnd like the dewwhich goesaway early.
"Yetin spite of allthisher treacheroussisterJudahdid not returnto Me with allher heart,but ratherin deception,"declaresthe LORD.
"Then I said,'HowI would setyou among My sonsAnd giveyou a pleasantland,The mostbeautifulinheritanceof the nations!'And I said,'You shall callMe, My Father,And not turnawayfrom followingMe.'
"Although recentlyyou [had] turnedand donewhatis rightin My sight,eachmanproclaimingreleaseto his neighbor,and you had madea covenantbeforeMe in the housewhichis calledby My name.
But thispeoplehasa stubbornand rebelliousheart;They have turnedasideand departed.
"Whyshould I pardonyou? Your sonshave forsakenMe And swornby those who are not gods.When I had fedthem to the full,They committedadulteryAnd troopedto the harlot'shouse.
"Shall I not punishthese[people]," declaresthe LORD,"And on a nationsuchas thisShall I not avengeMyself?
Thereforethussaysthe LORDof hosts,"Behold,I will refinethem and assaythem; For what[else] can I do,becauseof the daughterof My people?
Howcan I giveyou up, O Ephraim?How can I surrenderyou, O Israel?Howcan I makeyou like Admah?How can I treatyou like Zeboiim?My heartis turnedoverwithinMe, AllMy compassionsare kindled.
Thereforethey will be like the morningcloudAnd like dewwhich soondisappears,Like chaffwhich is blownawayfrom the threshingfloorAnd like smokefrom a chimney.
When I would healIsrael,The iniquityof Ephraimis uncovered,And the evildeedsof Samaria,For they dealfalsely;The thiefentersin, Banditsraidoutside,
yethe hasno[firm] rootin himself,but is [only] temporary,and when afflictionorpersecutionarisesbecauseof the word,immediatelyhe falls away.
Now the sonsof Israelagaindidevilin the sightof the LORD.So the LORDstrengthenedEglonthe kingof MoabagainstIsrael,becausethey had doneevilin the sightof the LORD.
