Hosea 7

Ephraim’s Wrongdoing

1When I 1would heal Israel, The wrongdoing of Ephraim is uncovered, And the evil deeds of Samaria, For they practice 2deception; The thief enters, A band of 3robbers attack outside,2And they do not 4consider in their hearts That I 5remember all their wickedness. Now their 6deeds surround them; They are before My face.37With their wickedness they make the 8king happy, And the officials with their 9lies.4They are 10all adulterers, Like an oven heated by the baker, Who stops 11stoking the fire From the time the dough is kneaded until it is leavened.5On the 12day of our king, the officials 13became sick with the heat of wine; He stretched out his hand with 1415scoffers,6For their hearts are like an 16oven As they approach their 17plotting; Their 18anger 19smolders all night, In the morning it burns like flaming fire.7All of them are hot like an oven, And they consume their 20rulers; All their kings have fallen. 21None of them calls on Me.

8Ephraim is himself 22thrown about with the 23nations; Ephraim has become a round loaf not turned over.924Strangers devour his strength, Yet he 25does not know it; Gray hairs also are sprinkled on him, Yet he does not know it.10Though the 26pride of Israel testifies against him, Yet 27they have not returned to the Lord their God, Nor have they sought Him, despite all this.11So 28Ephraim has become like a gullible dove, 29without 30sense; They call to 31Egypt, they go to 32Assyria.12When they go, I will 33spread My net over them; I will bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will 34discipline them in accordance with the 35proclamation to their assembly.1336Woe to them, for they have 37strayed from Me! Destruction is theirs, for they have rebelled against Me! I 38would redeem them, but they have spoken lies against Me.14And 39they do not cry to Me from their heart When they wail on their beds; For the sake of grain and new wine they 4041assemble themselves, They 42turn against Me.15Although I trained and strengthened their arms, Yet they 43devise evil against Me.16They turn, but not 44upward, They are like a 45loose bow; Their officials will fall by the sword Because of the 4647insolence of their tongue. This will be their 48derision in the land of Egypt.