Hosea 7

1 When I was willing to heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the malice of Samaria, for they had been manufacturing lies. And the thief steals from inside, the robber from outside.

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.

2 And, so that they may not say in their hearts that I am the one who has called to mind all of their wickedness: now their own inventions have encircled them. These things have happened in my presence.

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.

3 The king has rejoiced at their wickedness, and the leaders have rejoiced in their lies.

They delight the king with their evil, and the princes with their lies.

4 They are all adulterers; like an oven heating up before baking, the city rested a little before the leaven was mixed in, until the whole was leavened.

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.

5 On the day of our king, the leaders began to be mad with wine; he extended his hand with those who fabricate illusions.

The princes are inflamed with wine on the day of our king; so he joins hands with those who mock him.

6 For they have used their heart like an oven, while he laid snares for them; he slept through the night baking them, and by morning he himself was heated like a burning fire.

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.

7 They have all become hot like an oven, and they have devoured their judges. All their kings have fallen. There is no one who calls to me among them.

All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings fall; not one of them calls upon Me.

8 Ephraim himself has been mingled with the nations. Ephraim has become like bread, baked under ashes, that has not been turned over.

Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is an unturned cake.

9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he did not know it. And grey hairs also have spread across him, and he is ignorant of it.

Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know.

10 And the pride of Israel will be brought low before his face, for they have not returned to the Lord their God, nor have they sought him in all of this.

Israel’s arrogance testifies against them, yet they do not return to the LORD their God; despite all this, they do not seek Him.

11 And Ephraim has become like a pigeon that has been led astray, not having a heart; for they called upon Egypt, they went to the Assyrians.

So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove— calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.

12 And when they will set out, I will spread my net over them. I will pull them down like the birds of the sky; I will cut them down in accordance with the reports of their meetings.

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.

13 Woe to them, for they have withdrawn from me. They will waste away because they have been dishonest with me. And I redeemed them, and they have spoken lies against me.

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.

14 And they have not cried out to me in their heart, but they howled on their beds. They have obsessed about wheat and wine; they have withdrawn from me.

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.

15 And I have educated them, and I have reinforced their arms; and they have imagined evil against me.

Although I trained and strengthened their arms, they plot evil against Me.

16 They returned so that they might be without a yoke. They have become like a deceitful bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of the madness of their words. This is their derision in the land of Egypt.

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.