Hosea 7
1 Whenever I want to heal Israel, the sin of Ephraim is exposed, as well as the evil deeds of Samaria, for they practice deceit; a thief comes in, and a marauding band attacks in the street.
When I heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim will be exposed, as well as the crimes of Samaria. For they practice deceit and thieves break in; bandits raid in the streets.
2 They do not realize in their hearts that I remember all their evil deeds. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.
But they fail to consider in their hearts that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds are all around them; they are before My face.
3 With their evil they make the king glad, and by their lies the officials.
They delight the king with their evil, and the princes with their lies.
4 They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker, who ceases to stir the fire from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.
They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by a baker who needs not stoke the fire from the kneading to the rising of the dough.
5 On the day of our king the officials made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He reached out with his hand to those who were mocking.
The princes are inflamed with wine on the day of our king; so he joins hands with those who mock him.
6 For with hearts like an oven, they devise their deceitful plans. Their anger smolders all night; in the morning it burns high like a flaming fire.
For they prepare their heart like an oven while they lie in wait; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
7 They all are as hot as an oven, and they devour those who rule over them. All their kings have fallen; none of them calls on me.
All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings fall; not one of them calls upon Me.
8 Ephraim mixes himself among the peoples. Ephraim is a flat cake that has not been turned over.
Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is an unturned cake.
9 Foreigners have devoured his strength, but he does not know it. Gray hairs are sprinkled on him, but he does not know it.
Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know.
10 The pride of Israel testifies against him; however, they have not returned to Yahweh their God, nor have they sought him, in spite of all this.
Israel’s arrogance testifies against them, yet they do not return to the LORD their God; despite all this, they do not seek Him.
11 Ephraim is like a dove, gullible and without sense, calling out to Egypt, then flying to Assyria.
So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove— calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.
12 When they go, I will spread my net over them, I will bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will punish them in their flocking together.
As they go, I will spread My net over them; I will bring them down like birds of the air. I will chastise them when I hear them flocking together.
13 Woe to them! For they have strayed from me. Devastation is coming to them! They have rebelled against me! I would have rescued them, but they spoke lies against me.
Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against Me! Though I would redeem them, they speak lies against Me.
14 They have not cried to me with all their heart, but they wail on their beds. They gather together for grain and new wine, and they turn away from me.
They do not cry out to Me from their hearts when they wail upon their beds. They slash themselves for grain and new wine, but turn away from Me.
15 Though I trained them and strengthened their arms, they are now plotting evil against me.
Although I trained and strengthened their arms, they plot evil against Me.
16 They return, but they do not return to me, the Most High. They are like a slack bow. Their officials will fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongues. This will become their mockery in the land of Egypt.
They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the cursing of their tongue; for this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.
