Hosea 7

1 When I would heal Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, also the wickedness of Samaria; for they commit falsehood, and the thief enters in, and the gang of robbers ravages outside.

“When I give healing to Israel, Then the iniquity of Ephraim is revealed, And the wickedness of Samaria, For they have worked falsehood, And a thief comes in, A troop has stripped off in the street,

2 They do not consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness. Now their own deeds have engulfed them. They are before my face.

And they do not say to their heart, [That] I have remembered all their evil, Now their doings have surrounded them, They have been before My face.

3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

With their wickedness they make a king glad, And with their lies—princes.

4 They are all adulterers. They are burning like an oven that the baker stops stirring, from the kneading of the dough, until it is leavened.

All of them [are] adulterers, Like a burning oven of a baker, He ceases from stirring up after kneading the dough, until its leavening.

5 On the day of our king, the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He joined his hand with mockers.

A day of our king! Princes have defiled themselves [with] the poison of wine, He has drawn out his hand with scorners.

6 For they have prepared their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait. Their anger smolders all night. In the morning it burns as a flaming fire.

For they have drawn near, Their heart [is] as an oven In their lying in wait—their baker sleeps all night, Morning! He is burning as a flaming fire.

7 They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges. All their kings have fallen. There is no one among them who calls to me.

All of them are warm as an oven, And they have devoured their judges, All their kings have fallen, There is none calling to Me among them.

8 Ephraim mixes himself among the nations. Ephraim is a pancake not turned over.

Ephraim! He mixes himself among peoples, Ephraim has been an unturned cake.

9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he does not realize it. Indeed, gray hairs are here and there on him, and he does not realize it.

Strangers have devoured his power, And he has not known, Also old age has sprinkled [itself] on him, And he has not known.

10 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they have not returned to the LORD their God, nor sought him, for all this.

And the excellence of Israel has been humbled to his face, And they have not turned back to their God YHWH, Nor have they sought Him for all this.

11 “Ephraim is like an easily deceived dove, without understanding. They call to Egypt. They go to Assyria.

And Ephraim is as a simple dove without heart, Egypt they called on—[to] Asshur they have gone.

12 When they go, I will spread my net on them. I will bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will chastise them, as their congregation has heard.

When they go I spread over them My net, As the bird of the heavens I bring them down, I discipline them as their congregation has heard.

13 Woe to them! For they have wandered from me. Destruction to them! For they have trespassed against me. Though I would redeem them, yet they have spoken lies against me.

Woe to them, for they wandered from Me, Destruction to them, for they transgressed against Me, And I ransom them, and they have spoken lies against Me,

14 They have not cried to me with their heart, but they howl on their beds. They assemble themselves for grain and new wine. They turn away from me.

And have not cried to Me with their heart, but howl on their beds; They assemble themselves for grain and new wine, They turn aside against Me.

15 Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, yet they plot evil against me.

And I instructed—I strengthened their arms, And concerning Me they think evil!

16 They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a faulty bow. Their princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.

They turn back—not to the Most High, They have been as a deceitful bow, Their princes fall by sword, From the insolence of their tongue, This [is] their derision in the land of Egypt!”