Hosea

Ephraim’s Iniquity

1When I heal Israel,the iniquity of Ephraimwill be exposed, as well as the crimes of Samaria.For they practice deceit and thieves break in;bandits raid in the streets.

2But they fail to consider in their heartsthat I remember all their evil.Now their deeds are all around them;they are before My face.

3They delight the king with their evil,and the princes with their lies.

4They are all adulterers,like an oven heated by a bakerwho needs not stoke the firefrom the kneading to the rising of the dough.

5The princes are inflamed with wineon the day of our king;so he joins handswith those who mock him.

6For they prepare their heart like an ovenwhile they lie in wait;all night their anger smolders;in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.

7All of them are hot as an oven,and they devour their rulers.All their kings fall;not one of them calls upon Me.

8Ephraim mixes with the nations;Ephraim is an unturned cake.

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

10Israel’s arrogance testifies against them,yet they do not return to the LORD their God; despite all this, they do not seek Him.

11So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove—calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.

12As they go, I will spread My net over them;I will bring them down like birds of the air.I will chastise themwhen I hear them flocking together.

13Woe 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.

14They do not cry out to Me from their heartswhen they wail upon their beds.They slash themselvesfor grain and new wine,but turn away from Me.

15Although I trained and strengthened their arms,they plot evil against Me.

16They turn, but not to the Most High;they are like a faulty bow.Their leaders will fall by the swordfor the cursing of their tongue;for this they will be ridiculedin the land of Egypt.

1'When I give healing to Israel, Then revealed is the iniquity of Ephraim, And the wickedness of Samaria, For they have wrought falsehood, And a thief doth come in, Stript off hath a troop in the street,

2And they do not say to their heart, [That] all their evil I have remembered, Now compassed them have their doings, Over-against My face they have been.

3With their wickedness they make glad a king, And with their lies — princes.

4All of them [are] adulterers, Like a burning oven of a baker, He ceaseth from stirring up after kneading the dough, till its leavening.

5A day of our king! Princes have polluted themselves [with] the poison of wine, He hath drawn out his hand with scorners.

6For they have drawn near, As an oven [is] their heart, In their lying in wait all the night sleep doth their baker, Morning! he is burning as a flaming fire.

7All of them are warm as an oven, And they have devoured their judges, All their kings have fallen, There is none calling unto Me among them.

8Ephraim! among peoples he mixeth himself, Ephraim hath been a cake unturned.

9Devoured have strangers his power, And he hath not known, Also old age hath sprinkled [itself] on him, And he hath not known.

10And humbled hath been the excellency of Israel to his face, And they have not turned back unto Jehovah their God, Nor have they sought Him for all this.

11And Ephraim is as a simple dove without heart, Egypt they called on — [to] Asshur they have gone.

12When they go I spread over them My net, As the fowl of the heavens I bring them down, I chastise them as their company hath heard.

13Woe to them, for they wandered from Me, Destruction to them, for they transgressed against Me, And I — I ransom them, and they have spoken lies against Me,

14And have not cried unto Me with their heart, but howl on their beds, For corn and new wine they assemble themselves, They turn aside against Me.

15And I instructed — I strengthened their arms, And concerning Me they think evil!

16They turn back — not to the Most High, They have been as a deceitful bow, Fall by sword do their princes, From the insolence of their tongue, This [is] their derision in the land of Egypt!