Hosea 7 (FBV) · Opened

1when I heal Israel, Ephraim's sins will be exposed, together with the evil actions of Samaria. They deal in lies; they are thieves who break in to homes and who rob people on the outside.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.

2But they don't realize that I remember all of their wickedness. Their sins surround them and are always before me.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.

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

4All of them are adulterers, burning with lust like an oven whose fire stays hot, even though it is not tended by the baker, having left the dough to rise after kneading.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.

5On the king's birthday the princes drink so much they are sick, while he joins in with those who mock.The princes are inflamed with wine on the day of our king; so he joins hands with those who mock him.

6Their minds are fired up like an oven; they go to him with their plots. All through the night their anger burns; in the morning it blazes out uncontrollably.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.

7All of them are as hot as a burning oven, and they exhaust their leaders. All of their kings have fallen, and not one of them calls on me.All 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 foreign nations; he is as useless as half-baked bread!Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is an unturned cake.

9Foreigners drain his strength, and he doesn't even realize it. His hair is turning grey and he doesn't even notice.Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know.

10Israel's pride testifies against him, but for all of this he still does not return to the Lord their God or look for him.Israel’s arrogance testifies against them, yet they do not return to the LORD their God; despite all this, they do not seek Him.

11Ephraim is like a dove, foolish and without sense—calling to Egypt, then going to Assyria.So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove—calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.

12When they go I will throw my net over them; I will bring them down like wild birds. When I hear them flocking together I will punish them.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.

13What disaster is coming to them because they have strayed from me! Destruction is coming to them because they have rebelled against me! I wish I could redeem them, but they tell lies about me.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.

14They do not cry out to me with sincere minds; instead they lie on their beds howling. They assemble together and gash themselves to gain grain and new wine, but they turn away from me.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.

15I myself trained them and made them strong, but now they plot evil against me.Although I trained and strengthened their arms, they plot evil against Me.

16They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a useless bow. Their leaders will be killed by the sword because of their cursing. Because of this they will be ridiculed in Egypt.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.

Ephraim’s Iniquity

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Ephraim’s Iniquity

You’ve read Hosea 7

Go deeper