Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints. {saints: or, most holy}

For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up. {stalk: or, standing corn}

Yea, behold, {being} planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.

When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah {saw} his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound. {king Jareb: or, the king of Jareb: or, the king that should plead}

The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness.

The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence {come} the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people {that} shall not profit {them}.

And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as {he had done} year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. {present: or, tribute}

{And} Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.

Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? {vain...: Heb. knowledge of wind}

He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, {Is there} not a lie in my right hand?

Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

But shun profane {and} vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

We have given the hand {to} the Egyptians, {and to} the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.

When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah {saw} his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound. {king Jareb: or, the king of Jareb: or, the king that should plead}

Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

Wherefore do ye spend money for {that which is} not bread? and your labour for {that which} satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye {that which is} good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. {spend: Heb. weigh}

And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, {even} the whole seed of Ephraim.

Yea, behold, {being} planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.

Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them. {Sennacherib: Heb. Sanherib}

Then I saw that she was defiled, {that} they {took} both one way,

And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth {their} iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I {am} the Lord GOD.

Ephraim {is} joined to idols: let him alone.

The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, {and} Israel is defiled.

For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers. {lovers: Heb. loves}

Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, {Ye are} our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, {and} Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians {her} neighbours,

Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, {which are} as wind?

Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? {vain...: Heb. knowledge of wind}

The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.

Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what {is} man the better?

And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. {is confederate...: Heb. resteth on}

The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence {come} the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people {that} shall not profit {them}.

And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase {thyself even} unto hell. {thou...: or, thou respectedst}

Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints. {saints: or, most holy}

She hath wearied {herself} with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum {shall be} in the fire.