¶ Agaynst the Prestes and rulers of Israel. The helpe of man can do nothynge agaynst God.
CAPI. V.
OYe Preastes: heare this / take hede / O [unspec A] thou housholde of Israell: geue eare / O thou kyngly house / for this punyshment wyl come vpon you, that are become a snare vnto Myzphah / and a spred net vnto the mount of Thabor. They kyll sacrifyces by heapes / to begyle the people therwith: ther∣fore wyll I punyshe them all I knowe E∣phraim wel ynough, & Israell is not hyd fro¦me: for Ephraim is nowe become an harlot: & Israel is defiled. They are not mynded to turne vnto their God, for they haue an who∣ryshe hert, so that they can not know y• Lord
But the pryde of Israel wyl be rewar∣ded him in his face, yee, both Israel & Ephra¦im shal fal for their wickednesse, & Iuda wt thē also. ‡ They shal come with theyr shepe and bullockes ‡ to seke the Lorde, but they shall not fynde him, for he is gone from thē. [unspec B] As for the Lorde, they haue refused him, and brought vp bastarde childrē: a moneth ther∣fore shal deuoure them with their porcions: Blowe with the shawmes at Gabea, & with the trompet in Ramah / crye out at Bethauē vpon the yonside of Beniamin. In the tyme of the plage shall Ephraim be layde waste / therfore dyd I faythfully warne the trybes of Israel. Yet are the prīces of Iuda become lyke them that remoue the landemarckes, therfore / wyll I poure out my wrath vpon them lyke water. Ephraim is oppressed, and can haue no ryght of the lawe: for why? they folowe the doctrynes of men. Therfore wyll I be vnto Ephraim as a moth, & to y• house [unspec C] of Iuda as a caterpyller.
When Ephraim sawe his sickenesse, and Iuda his dysease / ‡ Ephraim wente vnto Assur, and sent vnto kyng ••are••: yet coulde not he helpe you, nor ease you of youre pay∣ne. I am vnto Ephraim as a lyon / and as a lyons whelpe to the house of Iuda. Euē / I wyll spoyle them / and go my waye. I wyll take them with me, and no man shall rescue them. I wyll go / & returne to my place, tyll they waxe faynt, and seke me.