Self-interpreting Bible

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Hosea 9

The distress and captivity of Israel for their sins, especially their idolatry.

1 REJOICE anot, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a breward 1upon every cornfloor.

2 The cfloor and the 2winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.

3 They shall not dwell in dthe LORD's land; but Ephraim eshall return to Egypt, and fthey shall eat unclean things in Assyria.

4 gThey shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, hneither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the ibread of mourners; jall that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their kbread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.

5 lWhat will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?

6 For, lo, mthey are gone because of 3destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, nMemphis shall bury them: 4the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their *tabernacles.

7 oThe days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: pthe prophet is a fool, the 5spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.

8 The qwatchman of Ephraim was with my God: but rthe prophet is a snare of a *fowler in all his ways, and hatred 6in the house of his God.

9 They have sdeeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of tGibeah: therefore uhe will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.

10 vI found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they wwent to Baal-peor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and xtheir abominations were according as they yloved.

11 As for Ephraim, ztheir glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.

12 Though they bring up their children, yet awill I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them bwhen I depart from them!

13 Ephraim, as I saw cTyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim dshall bring forth his children to the murderer.

14 eGive them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a 7miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

15 All their wickedness fis in Gilgal: for there I hated them: gfor the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine hhouse, I will love them no more: iall their princes are revolters.

16 jEphraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even 8the beloved fruit of their womb.

17 My God kwill cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.