Hosea 9

Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.

1Do not be glad, Israel. Do not cheer like the other nations. You have not stayed true to your God. You loved the pay you got at every threshing floor.

NoteA threshing floor is a flat, hard place where grain was beaten out of the stalks. Harvest celebrations were held there too.

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

2The threshing floor and the winepress will not feed them. The new wine will run out.

3They shall not dwell in the LORD’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.

3They will not stay in the LORD's land. Ephraim, another name for Israel, will go back to Egypt. In Assyria they will eat food God's rules called unclean.

4They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.

4They will not pour out wine gifts to the LORD. Their offerings will not please him. Their offerings will be like food eaten at a funeral. Everyone who eats it will be unclean. Their bread will only feed themselves. It will not come into the LORD's house.

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

5What will you do on the set day? What will you do on the day of the LORD's feast?

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

6Even if they run from the ruin, Egypt will gather them. Memphis will bury them. Weeds will take over the places they kept their silver. Thorns will fill their tents.

NoteMemphis was a large city in Egypt. It was known for its burial grounds.

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

7The days of punishment have come. The days of paying back have come. Let Israel know it. People call the prophet a fool. A prophet is someone who tells people what God says. They call the man who speaks for God crazy. This is because your sin is so great and your hate is so great.

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

8The prophet is Ephraim's watchman, along with my God. But traps like a bird catcher's are set on all his paths. Hate is even in the house of his God.

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

9They have made themselves very evil, as in the days of Gibeah. So God will remember their guilt. He will punish their sins.

NoteGibeah was a town in Israel. A very evil thing happened there long before Hosea's time. The story is in Judges chapters 19 to 21.

10I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.

10When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert. When I saw your fathers, they were like the first ripe figs. But they went to Baal-peor and gave themselves to that shameful idol. They became as awful as the thing they loved.

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

11Ephraim's glory will fly away like a bird. No babies will be born. No babies will grow. No babies will even begin.

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

12Even if they raise their children, I will take every one of them away. Yes, it will be terrible for them when I turn away from them.

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

13I have seen Ephraim planted in a good place, like the rich city of Tyre. But Ephraim will bring his children out to be killed.

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

14Give them, LORD. But what will you give them? Give them wombs that lose their babies. Give them breasts with no milk.

15All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.

15All their evil shows up at Gilgal. There I began to hate them. I will drive them out of my house for the evil they do. I will not love them anymore. All their leaders refuse to obey.

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

16Ephraim is struck down. Their root is dried up. They will grow no fruit. Even if they have children, I will kill the children they love.

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

17My God will send them away, because they would not listen to him. They will wander from nation to nation.