Ephraim’s Iniquity 1 ULT when I would heal Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, and the evils of Samaria, for they practice falsehood, and a thief comes in; a raiding band strips{ them} outside. BSB BSB: 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 ULT And they do not say to their heart{ that} I remember all of their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face. BSB BSB: 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 ULT By their evil they make{ the} king glad, and by their lies,{ the} princes. BSB BSB: They delight the king with their evil, and the princes with their lies.
4 ULT All of them{ are} adulterers, like an oven burning from a baker; he ceases from awakening{ it}, from the kneading of the dough until leavening it. BSB BSB: 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 ULT { On} the day of our king, the princes made{ him} sick{ with} heat from wine. He extended his hand with the mockers. BSB BSB: The princes are inflamed with wine on the day of our king; so he joins hands with those who mock him.
6 ULT For they have brought near their heart like an oven in their ambush. All the night their baker{ is} asleep;{ in} the morning it is burning like a fire of flame. BSB BSB: 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 ULT All of them are hot like an oven, and they devour their judges. All of their kings have fallen; there is none among them calling to me. BSB BSB: 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 ULT Ephraim, he mixes himself among the peoples. Ephraim is a bread cake not turned over. BSB BSB: Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is an unturned cake.
9 ULT Strangers have devoured his strength, and he does not know{ it}. Moreover, gray hair is sprinkled on him, and he does not know{ it}. BSB BSB: Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know.
10 ULT And the pride of Israel testifies against his face, and they have not returned to Yahweh their God, and they have not sought him in all this. BSB BSB: 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 ULT And Ephraim has been like a dove, being silly, without heart. They called{ to} Egypt; they went{ to} Assyria. BSB BSB: So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove—calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.
12 ULT Whenever they go, I will spread my net over them; like birds of the heavens I will bring them down. I will discipline them according to the report to their congregation. BSB BSB: 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 ULT Woe to them, for they have wandered from me! Destruction to them, for they have revolted against me! And I, I would redeem them, but they, they have spoken lies against me. BSB BSB: 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 ULT And they have not cried out to me in their heart, but they wail on their beds. For grain and new wine they sojourn; they turn away from me. BSB BSB: 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 ULT And I, I trained, I strengthened their arms, but against me they plan evil. BSB BSB: Although I trained and strengthened their arms, they plot evil against Me.
16 ULT They turn,{ but} not upward; they are like a deceitful bow. Their princes will fall by the sword from the indignation of their tongue. This{ is} their scorn in the land of Egypt. BSB BSB: 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.