Read the Bible

¹ Rejoice not, O Israel, unto exultation, like the peoples, for thou hast gone astray from thy God, thou hast loved a harlot's hire upon every corn-floor.² The threshing-floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail her.³ They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria.⁴ They shall not pour out 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 shall be for their appetite, it shall not come into the house of the LORD.⁵ What will ye do in the day of the appointed season, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?⁶ For, lo, they are gone away from destruction, yet Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them; their precious treasures of silver, nettles shall possess them, thorns shall be in their tents.

⁷ The days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come, Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool, the man of the spirit is mad! For the multitude of thine iniquity, the enmity is great.⁸ Ephraim is a watchman with my God; as for the prophet, a fowler's snare is in all his ways, and enmity 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 sins. ¹⁰ I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, I saw your fathers as the first-ripe in the fig-tree at her first season; but so soon as they came to Baal-peor, they separated themselves unto the shameful thing, and became detestable like that which they loved.

¹¹ As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird; there shall be no birth, and none with child, and no conception.¹² Yea, though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there be not a man left; yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!¹³ Ephraim, like as I have seen Tyre, is planted in a pleasant place; but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the slayer.¹⁴ Give them, O LORD, whatsoever Thou wilt give; give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.¹⁵ All their wickedness is in Gilgal, for there I hated them; because of the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of My house; I will love them no more, all their princes are rebellious.¹⁶ Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit; yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay the beloved fruit of their womb.¹⁷ My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto Him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.