Hosea 7 (JPS) · Opened

1when I would heal Israel, then is the iniquity of Ephraim uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria, for they commit falsehood; and the thief entereth in, and the troop of robbers maketh a raid without.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.

2And let them not say to their heart — I remember all their wickedness; now their own doings have beset them about, they are before My face.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 the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.They delight the king with their evil, and the princes with their lies.

4They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth to stir from the kneading of the dough until it be leavened.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 day of our king the princes make him sick with the heat of wine, he stretcheth out his hand with scorners.The princes are inflamed with wine on the day of our king; so he joins hands with those who mock him.

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

7They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges; all their kings are fallen, there is none among them that calleth unto 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, he mixeth himself with the peoples; Ephraim is become a cake not turned.Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is an unturned cake.

9Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not; yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, and he knoweth it not.Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know.

10And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face; but they have not returned unto the LORD their God, nor sought Him, for all this.Israel’s arrogance testifies against them, yet they do not return to the LORD their God; despite all this, they do not seek Him.

11And Ephraim is become like a silly dove, without understanding; they call unto Egypt, they go to Assyria.So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove—calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.

12Even as they 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 been made to hear.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.

13Woe unto them! for they have strayed from Me; Destruction unto them! for they have transgressed against Me; Shall I then redeem them, seeing they have spoken lies against 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.

14And they have not cried unto Me with their heart, though they wail upon their beds; they assemble themselves for corn and wine, they rebel against 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.

15Though I have trained and strengthened their arms, yet do they devise evil against Me.Although I trained and strengthened their arms, they plot evil against Me.

16They return, but not upwards; they are become 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.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

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