Hosea 7
1 when I heal Israel, Ephraim's sins will be exposed, together with the evil actions of Samaria. They deal in lies; they are thieves who break into homes and rob people on the outside.
When I would heal Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria. For they commit falsehood, and the thief enters in, and the troop of robbers ravages outside.
2 But they don't realize that I remember all of their wickedness. Their sins surround them and are always before me.
And they do not consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness. Now their own doings have surrounded them; they are before my face.
3 They make their king happy with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the rulers with their lies.
4 All of them are adulterers, burning with lust like an oven whose fire stays hot, even though it is not tended by the baker, having left the dough to rise after kneading.
They are all adulterers. They are as an oven heated by the baker. He ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough, until it is leavened.
5 On the king's birthday the princes drink so much they are sick, while he joins in with those who mock.
On the day of our king the rulers made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He stretched out his hand with scoffers.
6 Their minds are fired up like an oven; they go to him with their plots. All through the night their anger burns; in the morning it blazes out uncontrollably.
For they have made their heart ready like an oven, while they lie in wait. Their baker sleeps all the night. In the morning it burns as a flaming fire.
7 All of them are as hot as a burning oven, and they exhaust their leaders. All of their kings have fallen, and not one of them calls on me.
They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges. All their kings are fallen. There is none among those who call to me.
8 Ephraim mixes with the foreign nations; he is as useless as half-baked bread!
Ephraim, he mixes himself among the peoples. Ephraim is a cake not turned.
9 Foreigners drain his strength, and he doesn't even realize it. His hair is turning grey and he doesn't even notice.
Strangers have devoured his strength, and he does not know. Yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, and he does not know.
10 Israel's pride testifies against him, but for all of this he still does not return to the Lord their God or look for him.
And the pride of Israel testifies to his face. Yet they have not returned to Jehovah their God, nor sought him for all this.
11 Ephraim is like a dove, foolish and without sense—calling to Egypt, then going to Assyria.
And Ephraim is like a silly dove, without understanding. They call to Egypt. They go to Assyria.
12 When they go I will throw my net over them; I will bring them down like wild birds. When I hear them flocking together I will punish them.
When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them. I will bring them down as the birds of the heavens. I will chastise them, as their congregation has heard.
13 What disaster is coming to them because they have strayed from me! Destruction is coming to them because they have rebelled against me! I wish I could redeem them, but they tell lies about me.
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.
14 They do not cry out to me with sincere minds; instead they lie on their beds howling. They assemble together and gash themselves to gain grain and new wine, but they turn away from me.
And they have not cried to me with their heart, but they howl upon their beds. They assemble themselves for grain and new wine. They rebel against me.
15 I myself trained them and made them strong, but now they plot evil against me.
Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, yet they devise mischief against me.
16 They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a useless bow. Their leaders will be killed by the sword because of their cursing. Because of this they will be ridiculed in Egypt.
They return, but not to him on high. They are 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.
