No Reason to Celebrate
Study note
God tells Israel to stop celebrating at harvest festivals like the other nations do. Israel has been unfaithful to God and loved the payment they received at every threshing floor, where they worshiped false gods. In exile, they will not be able to stay in the LORD's land. They will eat unclean food in Assyria and will not be able to pour out offerings to God.
1 Stop celebrating, Israel! Do not party like the other nations do. You have been unfaithful to your God. You loved chasing sin at every harvest spot in the land. 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.
2 The threshing floors and wine vats will not produce enough to feed anyone. The new wine will dry up and disappoint them. The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.
3 They will not be allowed to stay in the LORD's land. Ephraim will be dragged back to a place like Egypt, and in Assyria they will eat food that God's law calls unclean. They shall not dwell in the LORD's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.
4 They will not be able to pour out drink offerings to the LORD, and nothing they sacrifice will make him happy. Their bread will be like funeral food — anyone who eats it becomes unclean. That food is only for filling their own bellies; it will never make it onto the LORD's altar. They 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.
The Day of Punishment
Study note
God asks what the people will do when the festival days come and they are far from home. Egypt will gather up their dead, and weeds will grow over their silver treasures. The days of punishment have arrived, and Israel will know it. The people call the prophet a fool and the man of the Spirit a madman, because Israel's sin and hostility are so great. They have become as deeply corrupt as in the days of Gibeah, when a terrible crime took place in Israel's early history.
5 What will you do when the festival days arrive — on the LORD's appointed celebrations? What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?
6 Even if some escape the destruction, Egypt will round them up and Memphis will bury them. Weeds will overtake all their silver treasures, and thorn bushes will fill their empty homes. For, 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.
7 The time for settling accounts has arrived. The day of payback is here. Israel needs to face this reality! They call the prophet crazy and the man of the Spirit insane — but that is only because their sin has piled so high and their hostility runs so deep. The 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.
8 The prophet serves as Ephraim's lookout on God's behalf. But everywhere the prophet turns, people have set traps for him. Even in God's own house, they treat him with hatred. The 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.
9 They have sunk to the lowest depths of corruption — as bad as what happened at Gibeah long ago. God is keeping a record of their guilt, and he will make them answer for their sins. They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.
Israel's Glory Will Fly Away
Study note
God remembers how He first found Israel, comparing them to sweet grapes in the desert and the first ripe figs of the season. But they went to Baal-peor and gave themselves to that shameful idol, becoming as disgusting as the thing they worshiped. Ephraim's glory will fly away like a bird. Hosea prays to God, asking what He should give the people, and says it would be better if they had no children at all than for those children to face such terrible judgment.
10 "Finding Israel was like discovering ripe grapes in the middle of a desert. Seeing your ancestors was like spotting the very first fruit on a new fig tree. But then they went to Baal-peor and gave themselves to that disgusting idol. They became every bit as revolting as the thing they chose to worship." I 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 Baal-peor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.
11 Ephraim's greatness will fly away like a startled bird. There will be no more babies born, no more pregnancies, no more children conceived. As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.
12 Even if they somehow raise children, I will take every last one away. Things will go horribly for them when I withdraw my protection. Though 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!
13 I once saw Ephraim as a beautiful young plant growing in a lovely meadow, like the city of Tyre. But now Ephraim will march its own children straight to the slaughter. Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.
14 LORD, give them what they deserve — what should you give them? Give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that produce no milk. Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
Driven Out and Rejected
Study note
God says all of Israel's wickedness began at Gilgal, where the people first rejected His rule. Because of their evil actions, God will drive them out of His house and love them no more. All their leaders are rebels. Ephraim is struck down at the root and will produce no fruit. God will reject them because they did not listen to Him, and they will become wanderers among the nations.
15 "All their wickedness traces back to what happened at Gilgal. That is where my hatred for their behavior began. Because of everything evil they have done, I will throw them out of my house. My love for them is finished. Every one of their leaders is a rebel." All 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.
16 Ephraim has been struck at the root. The roots have dried up, and no fruit will come. Even if children are born, I will take away those precious little ones. Ephraim 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.
17 My God will turn his back on them because they refused to listen. They will become homeless wanderers drifting from nation to nation. My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.