Hosea 7

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

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

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

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

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

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

12 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 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 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 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 haughtiness of their tongues; This shall be their reproach in the land of Egypt.