Hosea 7

1 When I woulde haue healed Israel, then the iniquitie of Ephraim was discouered, and the wickednesse of Samaria: for they haue dealt falsly: and the theefe commeth in, and the robber spoyleth without.

“and when I wanted to heal them [again], [I did not do it, ] [because] I saw the wicked things that [the people of] Samaria [city] and [other places in] Israel [DOU] have done. They constantly deceive others; bandits rob people in the streets.

2 And they consider not in their hearts, that I remember all their wickednes: now their owne inuentions haue beset them about: they are in my sight.

But they do not realize that I do not forget all the evil things that they do. [It is as though] they are surrounded by [all] the sins that they commit; and [it is though] those sins are [always right] in front of me [MTY].

3 They make the King glad with their wickednesse, and the princes with their lies.

Their king is delighted with the wicked things that the people do; his officials are happy about the people’s lies.

4 They are all adulterers, and as a very ouen heated by ye baker, which ceaseth from raysing vp, and from kneading ye dough vntill it be leauened.

[The king and his officials] are all treacherous. [They are always eager to do wicked things; ] they are like [SIM] an oven that is [very] hot: a baker mixes the dough and waits for it to expand, and he does not [need to] cause the oven to become hotter.

5 This is the day of our King: the princes haue made him sicke with flagons of wine: he stretcheth out his hand to scorners.

The king and his officials get very drunk during their festivals, carousing with others who also do foolish things.

6 For they haue made ready their heart like an ouen whiles they lie in waite: their baker sleepeth all the night: in the morning it burneth as a flame of fire.

The officials angrily plan to murder the king; it is like [SIM] they have an oven in their inner beings. All during the night their [eagerness/wanting to murder the king] is like a fire that is smouldering, but in the morning it becomes like [MET] a roaring fire.

7 They are all hote as an ouen, and haue deuoured their iudges: all their Kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth vnto me.

All those officials are like [MET] hot flames that completely burn up their rulers, so all their kings are murdered, and no one pleads with me [to help them].”

8 Ephraim hath mixt himselfe among the people. Ephraim is as a cake on the hearth not turned.

“[The leaders of] Israel join with leaders of [godless] nations; so [the leaders of] Israel are [as worthless as] a pancake that is cooked on only one side.

9 Strangers haue deuoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray heares are here and there vpon him, yet he knoweth not.

Joining with the rulers of foreign nations has caused Israel to be a weak [nation], but the Israelis do not realize that. Israel has become [like] [MET] a gray-haired old man, but the people of Israel do not realize it.

10 And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face, and they doe not returne to the Lord their God, nor seeke him for all this.

Their being proud [PRS] testifies against them, but in spite of that, they do not return to [me], Yahweh, their God, or [even] try to know me.

11 Ephraim also is like a doue deceiued, without heart: they call to Egypt: they go to Asshur.

[The people of] Israel have become foolish and stupid like [SIM] doves. [First] they called out to Egypt [to help them], [and then] they sought help from Assyria.

12 But when they shall go, I will spred my net vpon them, and drawe them downe as the foules of the heauen: I will chastice them as their congregation hath heard.

But wherever they go [to get help], [I will not allow them to succeed]; [it will be as though] [MET] I will throw a net over them like [SIM] [a hunter uses a net to capture] birds; I will punish them for the evil things that they do.

13 Wo vnto them: for they haue fled away from me: destruction shalbe vnto them, because they haue transgressed against me: though I haue redeemed them, yet they haue spoken lyes against me.

Terrible things will happen to them because they abandoned/deserted me! They will be destroyed because they rebelled against me. I wanted to rescue them, but they tell lies about me.

14 And they haue not cryed vnto me with their hearts, when they houled vpon their beds: they assembled themselues for corne, and wine, and they rebell against me.

They do not cry out to me sincerely [IDM]; they [only] lie on their beds and wail. They gather together and ask [me to give them] grain and wine, but they turn away from me.

15 Though I haue boud and strengthened their arme, yet doe they imagine mischiefe against me.

I trained/taught them and enabled them to become strong, but now they plan [to do] evil things to me.

16 They returne, but not to the most high: they are like a deceitfull bowe: their princes shall fall by the sword, for the rage of their tongues: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

They have rejected me, their Great God, and turned to their god Baal; they are [as useless] as [SIM] a crooked bow. Their leaders boast [that they are very strong], but they will be killed by [their enemies’] swords. As a result, [the people of] Egypt will laugh at them.”