1-2. “Listen to this, priests!Attention, people of Israel!Royal family—all ears!You’re in charge of justice around here.But what have you done? Exploited people at Mizpah,ripped them off on Tabor,Victimized them at Shittim.I’m going to punish the lot of you.
10. “Israel’s rulers are crooks and thieves,cheating the people of their land,And I’m angry, good and angry.Every inch of their bodies is going to feel my anger.
11-12. “Brutal Ephraim is himself brutalized—a taste of his own medicine!He was so determinedto do it his own worthless way.Therefore I’m pus to Ephraim,dry rot in the house of Judah.
13. “When Ephraim saw he was sickand Judah saw his pus-filled sores,Ephraim went running to Assyria,went for help to the big king.But he can’t heal you.He can’t cure your oozing sores.