Hosea 7

1 When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief comes in, and the troop of robbers spoils without.

When I was about to deliver my people from captivity, When I would have healed Israel, Then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, And the wickedness of Samaria; For they practise fraud, And the thief entereth in, And the band of robbers spoileth without.

2 And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.

And they think not in their hearts, That I remember all their wickedness. Now shall their doings encompass them; They are before my face.

3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

With their wickedness they gladden the king, And with their falsehoods the princes; All of them are adulterers;

4 They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceases from raising after he has kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.

They are as an oven heated by the baker; He ceaseth to stir the fire, Until the dough which he hath kneaded be leavened.

5 In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.

On the feast-day of our king, the princes are sick with the heat of wine, And he stretcheth out his hand with revilers.

6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait: their baker sleeps all the night; in the morning it burns as a flaming fire.

For they make ready their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait; All night the baker sleepeth; In the morning it gloweth like a flaming fire.

7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calls unto me.

They all glow as an oven; They have devoured their judges; All their kings have fallen; And none among them calleth upon me.

8 Ephraim, he has mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

Ephraim hath mixed himself with the nations; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knows it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knows not.

Strangers have devoured his strength, And he knoweth it not; Yea, gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, Yet he knoweth it not.

10 And the pride of Israel testifies to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.

The pride of Israel testifieth to his face; Yet do not they return to Jehovah their God, Nor seek him, for all this.

11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

Ephraim is like a silly dove, without understanding; They call upon Egypt; they go to Assyria.

12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation has heard.

When they go, I will spread my net over them; As birds of heaven will I bring them down. I will chastise them, as hath been proclaimed in their congregation.

13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.

Woe to them, for they have wandered from me! Destruction upon them, for they have rebelled against me! Though I myself would redeem them, they speak falsely to me.

14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.

They cry not to me from their heart, But howl upon their beds; For corn and wine they assemble themselves; They rebel against me.

15 Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.

I have chastened them; I have also strengthened their arms; Yet do they devise evil against me.

16 They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

They return, but not to the Most High; They are like a deceitful bow; Their princes shall fall by the sword for the haughtiness of their tongues; This shall be their reproach in the land of Egypt.