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.

1When I would have healed Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria, for they have committed falsehood, and the thief is come in to steal, the robber is without.

2And lest they may say in their hearts, that I remember all their wickedness: their own devices now have beset them about, they have been done before my face.

3They have made the king glad with their wickedness: and the princes with their lies.

4They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker: the city rested a little from the mingling of the leaven, till the whole was leavened.

5The day of our king, the princes began to be mad with wine: he stretched out his hand with scorners.

6Because they have applied their heart like an oven, when he laid snares for them: he slept all the night baking them, in the morning he himself was heated as a flaming fire.

7They were all heated like an oven, and have devoured their judges: all their kings have fallen: there is none amongst them that calleth unto me.

8Ephraim himself is mixed among the nations: Ephraim is become as bread baked under the ashes, that is not turned.

9Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knew it not: yea, grey hairs also are spread about upon him, and he is ignorant of it.

10And the pride of Israel shall be humbled before his face: and they have not returned to the Lord their God, nor have they sought him in all these.

11And Ephraim is become as a dove that is decoyed, not having a heart: they called upon Egypt, they went to the Assyrians.

12And when they shall go, I will spread my net upon them: I will bring them down as the fowl of the air, I will strike them as their congregation hath heard.

13Woe to them, for they have departed from me: they shall be wasted because they have transgressed against me: and I redeemed them: and they have spoken lies against me.

14And they have not cried to me with their heart, but they howled in their beds: they have thought upon wheat and wine, they are departed from me.

15And I have chastised them, and strengthened their arms: and they have imagined evil against me.

16They returned, that they might be without yoke: they became like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword, for the rage of their tongue. This is their derision in the land of Egypt.