Hosea 7
1 Should I desire to heal Israel, then would the iniquity of Ephraim and the wickedness of Samaria be laid open; for they commit falsehood; and the thief entereth [secretly], and the troop of robbers is spread abroad without.
When I would heal Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, also the wickedness of Samaria; for they commit falsehood, and the thief enters in, and the gang of robbers ravages outside.
2 And they never think in their own heart that I remember all their wickedness: though now their own doings are all round about them; before my face are they present.
They do not consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness. Now their own deeds have engulfed them. They are before my face.
3 With their wickedness they make the king glad, and with their lies the princes.
They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
4 They are all adulterers, as an oven well heated by the baker: [when] he that stirreth [the fire] resteth awhile from kneading the dough, until it be leavened.
They are all adulterers. They are burning like an oven that the baker stops stirring, from the kneading of the dough, until it is leavened.
5 On the day of our king's [entering on his rule] the princes are made sick with the fumes of wine: [the king] joineth his hand with scorners.
On the day of our king, the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He joined his hand with mockers.
6 For they make ready their heart for their tricky deeds, like the oven, the baker whereof sleepeth all the night, while in the morning it gloweth as a flaming fire.
For they have prepared their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait. Their anger smolders all night. In the morning it burns as a flaming fire.
7 They are all hot as an oven, they devour their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.
They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges. All their kings have fallen. There is no one among them who calls to me.
8 Ephraim mixeth himself indeed among the nations: Ephraim is a cake not turned.
Ephraim mixes himself among the nations. Ephraim is a pancake not turned over.
9 Strangers devour his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are sprinkled about on his [head], yet he knoweth not.
Strangers have devoured his strength, and he does not realize it. Indeed, gray hairs are here and there on him, and he does not realize it.
10 And humbled was the pride of Israel before his own face; but they did not return to the Lord their God, and sought him not, notwithstanding all this.
The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they have not returned to the LORD their God, nor sought him, for all this.
11 And Ephraim is become like a silly dove without understanding: Egypt did they call hither, to Assyria did they go.
“Ephraim is like an easily deceived dove, without understanding. They call to Egypt. They go to Assyria.
12 As they go, so will I spread out my net over them; as the fowls of the heaven will I bring them down: I will chastise them, as it hath been announced to their congregation.
When they go, I will spread my net on them. I will bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will chastise them, as their congregation has heard.
13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me; destruction shall come unto them, because they have transgressed against me: though I desired to redeem them, they yet spoke lies against 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 And they cried not unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: for corn and new wine they assemble themselves, and they rebel against me.
They have not cried to me with their heart, but they howl on their beds. They assemble themselves for grain and new wine. They turn away from me.
15 And I desired to instruct and to strengthen their arms; yet would they devise evil against me.
Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, yet they plot evil against me.
16 They never return upward: they are like a deceitful bow: by the sword shall their princes fall because of 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 faulty bow. Their princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.
