Hosea 7

1 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 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 They delight the king with their evil, and the princes with their lies.

4 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 The princes are inflamed with wine on the day of our king; so he joins hands with those who mock him.

6 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 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 with the nations; Ephraim is an unturned cake.

9 Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know.

10 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 So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove—calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.

12 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! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against Me! Though I would redeem them, they speak lies against Me.

14 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 Although I trained and strengthened their arms, they plot evil against Me.

16 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.

1 ¶ When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, [and] the troop of robbers spoileth without.

2 And they consider not in their hearts [that] I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.

3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

4 They [are] all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, [who] ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.

5 In the day of our king the princes have made [him] sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.

6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.

7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: [there is] none among them that calleth unto me.

8 ¶ Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth [it] not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.

10 And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.

11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.

13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.

14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, [and] they rebel against me.

15 Though I have bound [and] strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief 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 rage of their tongue: this [shall be] their derision in the land of Egypt.

1 If I will heal Israel, first find the sin of Ephraim, and the wickedness of Samaria, how they do idolatry. For though they be plagued with thieves among themselves, and with robbers by heart,

2 Yet will they not know that I perceive all their wickedness. But I see their wickedness, which they do in every place.

3 They put off the king by their wickedness, and the princes by their lies.

4 And they are all adulterers, as an oven which the baker heats when he hath kneaded it, and leaveneth and riseth the dough.

5 This day is the feast of our king, and the princes begin to be mad with wine: so he sendeth the scoffers unto him.

6 For their heart is in hot devotion, as an oven, when they sacrifice, and when they deceive the people: but their baker sleepeth all night, and in the morning he burneth brightly.

7 They are yet as hot with devotion as an oven. Though their judges be eaten up, and all their kings fall, yet there is none among them that calleth unto me.

8 Ephraim is mixed among the nations: Ephraim is like a cake that no man turneth over,

9 But strangers eat up his strength; yet will he not know it. He also hath gray hairs; yet will he not know it.

10 And the pride of Israel is humbled before their eyes: yet turn they not unto the LORD their God, neither inquire of him in all this.

11 For Ephraim is like a tempted dove, that will not perceive. Now they call Egypt, then they run to Assyria.

12 But as they go to and fro, I will cast my net over them, and will come down as the fowls of the air; I will punish them as one preacheth in their gathering.

13 Woe unto them that they depart from me! They must be destroyed, for they have turned away from me. I would have delivered them, if they had not taught lies against me.

14 Neither do they call upon me from their hearts, but they listen in their camps. They gather themselves together for the sake of grain and must, and disobey me.

15 I teach them, and strengthen their arm: but they think evil of me.

16 They are converted, but not aright; they are as a false bow: therefore their princes shall fall by the sword; their dread shall be a mockery in the land of Egypt.