_A snare have ye become at Mizpeh, and a net spread out upon Tabor, and a pit have they made deep upon Shittim;_[509] _but I shall be the scourge of them all. I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from Me--for now hast thou played the harlot, Ephraim, Israel is defiled._ The worship on the high places, whether nominally of Jehovah or not, was sheer service of Ba'alim. It was in the interest both of the priesthood and of the rulers to multiply these sanctuaries, but they were only traps for the people. _Their deeds will not let them return to their God; for a harlot spirit is in their midst, and Jehovah_, for all their oaths by Him, _they have not known. But the pride of Israel shall testify to his face; and Israel and Ephraim shall stumble by their guilt--stumble also shall Judah with them._ By Israel's pride many understand God. But the term is used too opprobriously by Amos to allow us to agree to this. The phrase must mean that Israel's arrogance, or her proud prosperity, by the wounds which it feels in this time of national decay, shall itself testify against the people--a profound ethical symptom to which we shall return when treating of Repentance.[510] Yet the verse may be rendered in harmony with the context: _the pride of Israel shall be humbled to his face. With their sheep and their cattle they go about to seek Jehovah, and shall not find_ Him; _He hath drawn off from them. They have been unfaithful to Jehovah, for they have begotten strange children_. A generation has grown up who are not His. _Now may a month devour them with their portions!_ Any month may bring the swift invader. Hark! the alarum of war! How it reaches to the back of the land! _Blow the trumpet in Gibeah, the clarion in Ramah;_ _Raise the slogan, Beth-Aven: "After thee, Benjamin!"_[511] _Ephraim shall become desolation in the day of rebuke! Among the tribes of Israel I have made known what is certain!_ At this point, ver. 10, the discourse swerves from the religious to the political leaders of Israel; but as the princes were included with the priests in the exordium (ver. 1), we can hardly count this a new oracle.[512]