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 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.
2 But they don't realize that I remember all of their wickedness. Their sins surround them and are always before me.
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.
3 They make their king happy with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
The king has rejoiced at their wickedness, and the leaders have rejoiced in 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; like an oven heating up before baking, the city rested a little before the leaven was mixed in, until the whole was 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 leaders began to be mad with wine; he extended his hand with those who fabricate illusions.
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 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.
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 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.
8 Ephraim mixes with the foreign nations; he is as useless as half-baked bread!
Ephraim himself has been mingled with the nations. Ephraim has become like bread, baked under ashes, that has not been turned over.
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 did not know it. And grey hairs also have spread across him, and he is ignorant of it.
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 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.
11 Ephraim is like a dove, foolish and without sense—calling to Egypt, then going to Assyria.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 out to me in their heart, but they howled on their beds. They have obsessed about wheat and wine; they have withdrawn from me.
15 I myself trained them and made them strong, but now they plot evil against me.
And I have educated them, and I have reinforced their arms; and they have imagined evil 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 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.
