Hosea 9:3–6

3 They will not remain in the Lord’s land;

Ephraim will return to Egypt

and eat unclean food in Assyria.

4 They will not pour out wine offerings to the Lord,

nor will their sacrifices please him.

Such sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners;

all who eat them will be unclean.

This food will be for themselves;

it will not come into the temple of the Lord.

5 What will you do on the day of your appointed festivals,

on the feast days of the Lord?

6 Even if they escape from destruction,

Egypt will gather them,

and Memphis will bury them.

Their treasures of silver will be taken over by briers,

and thorns will overrun their tents.

3 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 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.

5 What will ye do in the solemn day,

And in the day of the feast of the Lord?

6 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.

3 You may no longer stay here in the Lord’s land.

Instead, you will return to Egypt,

and in Assyria you will eat food

that is ceremonially unclean.

4 There you will make no offerings of wine to the Lord.

None of your sacrifices there will please him.

They will be unclean, like food touched by a person in mourning.

All who present such sacrifices will be defiled.

They may eat this food themselves,

but they may not offer it to the Lord.

5 What then will you do on festival days?

How will you observe the Lord’s festivals?

6 Even if you escape destruction from Assyria,

Egypt will conquer you, and Memphis will bury you.

Nettles will take over your treasures of silver;

thistles will invade your ruined homes.

3 They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land,

But Ephraim shall return to Egypt,

And shall eat unclean things in Assyria.

4 They shall not offer wine offerings to the Lord,

Nor shall their sacrifices be pleasing to Him.

It shall be like bread of mourners to them;

All who eat it shall be defiled.

For their bread shall be for their own life;

It shall not come into the house of the Lord.

5 What will you do in the appointed day,

And in the day of the feast of the Lord?

6 For indeed they are gone because of destruction.

Egypt shall gather them up;

Memphis shall bury them.

Nettles shall possess their valuables of silver;

Thorns shall be in their tents.

3 The people will not stay in the Lord’s land.

Israel will return to being captives as they were in Egypt,

and in Assyria they will eat food that they are not allowed to eat.

4 The Israelites will not give offerings of wine to the Lord;

they will not give him sacrifices.

Their sacrifices will be like food that is eaten at a funeral;

it is unclean, and everyone who eats it becomes unclean.

Their food will only satisfy their hunger;

they cannot sacrifice it in the Temple.

5 What will you do then on the day of feasts

and on the day of the Lord’s festival?

6 Even if the people are not destroyed,

Egypt will capture them;

Memphis will bury them.

Weeds will grow over their silver treasures,

and thorns will drive them out of their tents.

3 They shall not dwell in Jehovah’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 Jehovah, 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 Jehovah. 5 What will ye do in the day of solemn assembly, and in the day of the feast of Jehovah? 6 For, lo, they are gone away from destruction; yet Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them; their pleasant things of silver, nettles shall possess them; thorns shall be in their tents.

3 They shall not dwell in Jehovah’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and in Assyria shall they eat that which is unclean. 4 They shall pour out no offerings of wine to Jehovah, neither shall their sacrifices be pleasing unto him: they shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be defiled: for their bread shall be for themselves; it shall not come into the house of Jehovah. 5 What will ye do in the day of assembly, and in the day of the feast of Jehovah? 6 For behold, they are gone away because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Moph shall bury them: their pleasant things of silver, nettles shall possess them; thorns shall be in their tents.

3 The people of Ephraim won’t stay in the Lord’s land. 

They will return to Egypt, 

and they will eat uncleanfood in Assyria. 

4 They won’t pour wine offerings to the Lord, 

and their sacrifices won’t please him. 

Their sacrifices will be like the food that mourners eat. 

All who eat this food will be unclean. 

Their food will only satisfy their hunger. 

It will not be brought ⸤as an offering⸥ to the Lord’s temple. 

5 What will they do on the day of an appointed festival 

or on the Lord’s festival days? 

6 Even if they escape without being destroyed, 

Egypt will capture them 

and Memphis will bury them. 

Weeds will grow over their silver treasures. 

Thorns will grow over their tents. 

3 They will not stay in the land of the Lord.

Instead, Ephraim will return to Egypt,

and they will eat unclean food in Assyria.

4 They will not pour out

their wine offerings to the Lord,

and their sacrifices will not please Him.

Their food will be like the bread of mourners;

all who eat it become defiled.

For their bread will be for their appetites alone;

it will not enter the house of the Lord.

5 What will you do on a festival day,

on the day of the Lord’s feast?

6 For even if they flee from devastation,

Egypt will gather them, and Memphis will bury them.

Thistles will take possession of their precious silver;

thorns will invade their tents.

3 They shall not remain in the land of the Lord,

but Ephraim shall return to Egypt,

and in Assyria they shall eat unclean food.

4 They shall not pour drink offerings of wine to the Lord,

and their sacrifices shall not please him.

Such sacrifices shall be like mourners’ bread;

all who eat of it shall be defiled,

for their bread shall be for their hunger only;

it shall not come to the house of the Lord.

5 What will you do on the day of appointed festival

and on the day of the festival of the Lord?

6 For even if they escape destruction,

Egypt shall gather them;

Memphis shall bury them.

Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver;

thorns shall be in their tents.

3 They will not remain

in the land of Yahweh.

But Ephraim will return to Egypt,

and in Assyria they will eat unclean food.

4 They will not pour drink offerings of wine to Yahweh,

and their sacrifices will not please him.

They are like mourners’ bread for them;

all those who eat it will be defiled.

For their bread will be for their hunger;

it will not come to the house of Yahweh.

5 What will you do on the day of the appointed time,

and on the day of the festival of Yahweh?

6 For look! If they flee from the destruction,

Egypt will gather them;

Memphis will bury them.

Nettles will possess

their precious things of silver;

thorns will be in their tents.

3 You won’t remain in the Lord’s land.

Ephraim, you will return to Egypt.

You will eat “unclean” food in Assyria.

4 You won’t pour out wine offerings to the Lord.

Your sacrifices won’t please him.

They’ll be like the bread people eat when someone dies.

Everyone who eats those sacrifices will be “unclean.”

They themselves will have to eat that kind of food.

They can’t bring it into the Lord’s temple.

5 What will you do when your appointed feasts come?

What will you do on the Lord’s special days?

6 Some of you will escape without being destroyed.

But you will die in Egypt.

Your bodies will be buried at Memphis.

Weeds will cover your treasures of silver.

Thorns will grow up in your tents.

3 They will not remain in the Lord’s land,

But Ephraim will return to Egypt,

And in Assyria they will eat unclean food.

4 They will not pour out drink offerings of wine to the Lord,

Their sacrifices will not please Him.

Their bread will be like mourners’ bread;

All who eat of it will be defiled,

For their bread will be for themselves alone;

It will not enter the house of the Lord.

5 What will you do on the day of the appointed festival

And on the day of the feast of the Lord?

6 For behold, they will go because of destruction;

Egypt will gather them up, Memphis will bury them.

Weeds will take over their treasures of silver;

Thorns will be in their tents.