Hosea 7
1 When I heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim will be exposed, as well as the crimes of Samaria. For they practice deceit and thieves break in; bandits raid in the streets.
When I would have brought healing to Israel, then was disclosed the iniquity of Ephraim, and the wicked doings of Samaria, for they have wrought falsehood, —when, a thief, would enter, a band roamed about, outside,
2 But they fail to consider in their hearts that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds are all around them; they are before My face.
And they say not to their own hearts, that, all their wickedness, I remember, now, have their doings, beset them about, right before my face, have they been done.
3 They delight the king with their evil, and the princes with their lies.
By their wickedness, they gladden a king, and, by their flatteries, —rulers.
4 They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by a baker who needs not stoke the fire from the kneading to the rising of the dough.
They all, are adulterers, like an oven too hot for the baker, —who leaveth off stoking, after kneading the dough, till the whole be leavened.
5 The princes are inflamed with wine on the day of our king; so he joins hands with those who mock him.
In the day of our king, the rulers, have made themselves ill, with the heat of wine, —he hath extended his hand with scoffers.
6 For they prepare their heart like an oven while they lie in wait; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
For they have made ready, like an oven, their heart, by their lying in wait, —all the night, their baker sleepeth, in the morning, he, kindleth up as it were a blazing fire.
7 All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings fall; not one of them calls upon Me.
They all, become hot as an oven, and devour their judges, —all their kings, have fallen, there hath been none among them crying unto me.
8 Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is an unturned cake.
As for Ephraim! with the peoples, hath he been mingling himself, —Ephraim, is a cake not turned.
9 Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know.
Foreigners have, eaten up, his strength, and, he, knoweth it not, —even gray hairs, are sprinkled upon him, and, he, knoweth it not.
10 Israel’s arrogance testifies against them, yet they do not return to the LORD their God; despite all this, they do not seek Him.
Therefore doth the Excellency of Israel, answer, to his face; yet have they not returned unto Yahweh their God, nor have they sought him, in spite of all this!
11 So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove— calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.
So then, Ephraim, hath become, like a simple dove, having no understanding, on Egypt, have they called, to Assyria, have they gone,
12 As they go, I will spread My net over them; I will bring them down like birds of the air. I will chastise them when I hear them flocking together.
Whithersoever they go, I will spread over them my net, like a bird of the heavens, will I bring them down, I will chastise them, by the time the report can reach the flock of them.
13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against Me! Though I would redeem them, they speak lies against Me.
Woe to them! for they have taken flight from me, destruction to them! for they have transgressed against me, —when, I, would have ransomed them, then, they, spake—concerning me—falsehoods.
14 They do not cry out to Me from their hearts when they wail upon their beds. They slash themselves for grain and new wine, but turn away from Me.
Neither made they outcry unto me, in their heart, although they kept on howling upon their beds, over corn and new wine, they gathered themselves together, they rebelled against me.
15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms, they plot evil against Me.
When, I, had warned them, I strengthened their arm, —yet, against me, kept they on devising wickedness.
16 They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the cursing of their tongue; for this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.
They would return—not to him who is on high! They have become like a deceitful bow, their rulers, shall fall by the sword, for the rage of their tongue, this, [shall be] their derision in the land of Egypt.
