7. The days of punishment have come; the days of retribution have come. Let Israel know! The prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is mad! For great is your iniquity and great the hostility.
8. Ephraim is a watchman with my God, a prophet. A bird catcher’s trap is on all his paths. Hostility is in the House of his God.
9. They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity, He will punish their sin.
10. “Like grapes in the wilderness I found Israel. Like early fruit on a fig tree in its first season I saw your fathers. They came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to shame. So they became as detestable as the thing they loved.
11. Ephraim’s glory flies away like a bird— no birth, no pregnancy, no conception!
12. For if they should raise their children, I would make them childless to the last man. Yes, woe to them when I depart from them!
13. Ephraim, as I have seen, is like Tyre, planted in a meadow, but Ephraim will bring his children out to the slayer.”
14. Give them, Adonai, what will You give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dried up breasts.
15. “All their wickedness is at Gilgal, for there I despised them. Because of their wicked practices, I will drive them out of My House. I will love them no more. All their princes are rebellious.
16. Ephraim is blighted; their root is withered; they bear no fruit. Even if they bring forth children, I will slay the cherished ones in their wombs.”
17. My God will cast them off, since they did not listen to Him. So they will become wanderers among the nations.