Hosea 7
1 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.
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.
2 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.
But they don't realize that I remember all of their wickedness. Their sins surround them and are always before me.
3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
They make their king happy with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
4 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.
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.
5 On the day of our king, the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He joined his hand with mockers.
On the king's birthday the princes drink so much they are sick, while he joins in with those who mock.
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.
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.
7 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.
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.
8 Ephraim, he mixes himself among the nations. Ephraim is a pancake not turned over.
Ephraim mixes with the foreign nations; he is as useless as half-baked bread!
9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he doesn't realize it. Indeed, gray hairs are here and there on him, and he doesn't realize it.
Foreigners drain his strength, and he doesn't even realize it. His hair is turning grey and he doesn't even notice.
10 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they haven't returned to the LORD their God, nor sought him, for all this.
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.
11 "Ephraim is like an easily deceived dove, without understanding. They call to Egypt. They go to Assyria.
Ephraim is like a dove, foolish and without sense—calling to Egypt, then going to Assyria.
12 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.
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.
13 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.
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.
14 They haven't cried to me with their heart, but they wail on their beds. They cut themselves for grain and new wine. They turn away from me.
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.
15 Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, yet they plot evil against me.
I myself trained them and made them strong, but now they plot evil against me.
16 They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.
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.
