Oséias 9

¹ Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy,For even though all other people should escape, yet you will be punished.as [other] people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast lovedYou have committed idolatry in hope of reward, and to have your barns filled ((Jer_44:17)), as a harlot that had rather live by playing the whore, than to be provided for by her own husband.a reward upon every cornfloor.

² These outward things that you seek will be taken from you.The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.

³ They wil not dwel in the Lordes lande, but Ephraim will returne to Egypt, and they will eate vncleane things in Asshur.

⁴ They shall not offerAll their doings both with regard to administration and religion, will be rejected as polluted things.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 breadThe meat offering which they offered for themselves.for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.

⁵ What will ye doWhen the Lord will take away all the occasions of serving him, which will be the most grievous part of your captivity, when you will see yourselves cut off from God.in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?

⁶ For, lo, they are gone because ofEven though they think to escape by fleeing the destruction that is at hand, yet they will be destroyed in the place where they flee for help.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.

⁷ The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know [it]:Then they will know that they were deluded by those who claimed themselves to be their prophets and spiritual men.the prophet [is] a fool, the spiritual man [is] mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.

⁸ The watchman of EphraimThe Prophet's duty is to bring men to God, and not to be a snare to pull them from God.[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.

⁹ TheyThis people is so rooted in their wickedness, that Gibeah, which was similar to Sodom, was never more corrupt; (Jdg_19:22).have deeply corrupted [themselves], as in the days of Gibeah: [therefore] he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.

¹⁰ I found Israel likeMeaning, that he esteemed them and delighted in them in this way.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 accordingThey were as abominable to me, as their lovers the idols.as they loved.

¹¹ [As for] Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth,Signifying that God would destroy their children by these different means, and so consume them by little and little.and from the womb, and from the conception.

¹² Though they bring vp their children, yet I will depriue them from being men: yea, woe to them, when I depart from them.

¹³ Ephraim, as I sawAs they kept tender plants in their houses in Tyrus to preserve them from the cold air of the sea, so was Ephraim at the first to me: but now I will give him to the slaughter.Tyrus, [is] planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.

¹⁴ Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them aThe Prophet seeing the great plagues of God toward Ephraim, prays to God to make them barren, rather than that this great slaughter should come upon their children.miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

¹⁵ All their wickedness [is] inThe chief cause of their destruction is that they commit idolatry, and corrupt my religion in Gilgal.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.

¹⁶ Ephraim is smitten, their roote is dried vp: they can bring no fruite: yea, though they bring foorth, yet will I slaie euen the dearest of their bodie.

¹⁷ My God will cast them away, because they did not obey him: and they shall wander among the nations.