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When I would heal Israel,

    then the iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered,
    also the wickedness of Samaria;
    for they commit falsehood,
    and the thief enters in,
    and the gang of robbers ravages outside.
They don’t consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness.
    Now their own deeds have engulfed them.
    They are before my face.
They make the king glad with their wickedness,
    and the princes with their lies.
They are all adulterers.
    They are burning like an oven that the baker stops stirring,
    from the kneading of the dough, until it is leavened.
On the day of our king, the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine.
    He joined his hand with mockers.
For they have prepared their heart like an oven,
    while they lie in wait.
    Their baker sleeps all the night.
    In the morning it burns as a flaming fire.
They are all hot as an oven,
    and devour their judges.
All their kings have fallen.
    There is no one among them who calls to me.
Ephraim, he mixes himself among the nations.
    Ephraim is a pancake not turned over.
Strangers have devoured his strength,
    and he doesn’t realize it.
Indeed, gray hairs are here and there on him,
    and he doesn’t realize it.
10 The pride of Israel testifies to his face;
    yet they haven’t returned to Yahweh their God,
    nor sought him, for all this.

11 “Ephraim is like an easily deceived dove, without understanding.
    They call to Egypt.
    They go to Assyria.
12 When they go, I will spread my net on them.
    I will bring them down like the birds of the sky.
    I will chastise them, as their congregation has heard.
13 Woe to them!
    For they have wandered from me.
Destruction to them!
    For they have trespassed against me.
Though I would redeem them,
    yet they have spoken lies against me.
14 They haven’t cried to me with their heart,
    but they howl on their beds.
They assemble themselves for grain and new wine.
    They turn away from me.
15 Though I have taught and strengthened their arms,
    yet they plot evil against me.
16 They return, but not to the Most High.
    They are like a faulty bow.
    Their princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue.
    This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.

whenever I would heal Israel,
the sins of Ephraim are exposed
    and the crimes of Samaria revealed.(A)
They practice deceit,(B)
    thieves break into houses,(C)
    bandits rob in the streets;(D)
but they do not realize
    that I remember(E) all their evil deeds.(F)
Their sins engulf them;(G)
    they are always before me.

“They delight the king with their wickedness,
    the princes with their lies.(H)
They are all adulterers,(I)
    burning like an oven
whose fire the baker need not stir
    from the kneading of the dough till it rises.
On the day of the festival of our king
    the princes become inflamed with wine,(J)
    and he joins hands with the mockers.(K)
Their hearts are like an oven;(L)
    they approach him with intrigue.
Their passion smolders all night;
    in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
All of them are hot as an oven;
    they devour their rulers.
All their kings fall,(M)
    and none of them calls(N) on me.

“Ephraim mixes(O) with the nations;
    Ephraim is a flat loaf not turned over.
Foreigners sap his strength,(P)
    but he does not realize it.
His hair is sprinkled with gray,
    but he does not notice.
10 Israel’s arrogance testifies against him,(Q)
    but despite all this
he does not return(R) to the Lord his God
    or search(S) for him.

11 “Ephraim is like a dove,(T)
    easily deceived and senseless—
now calling to Egypt,(U)
    now turning to Assyria.(V)
12 When they go, I will throw my net(W) over them;
    I will pull them down like the birds in the sky.
When I hear them flocking together,
    I will catch them.
13 Woe(X) to them,
    because they have strayed(Y) from me!
Destruction to them,
    because they have rebelled against me!
I long to redeem them
    but they speak about me(Z) falsely.(AA)
14 They do not cry out to me from their hearts(AB)
    but wail on their beds.
They slash themselves,[a] appealing to their gods
    for grain and new wine,(AC)
    but they turn away from me.(AD)
15 I trained(AE) them and strengthened their arms,
    but they plot evil(AF) against me.
16 They do not turn to the Most High;(AG)
    they are like a faulty bow.(AH)
Their leaders will fall by the sword
    because of their insolent(AI) words.
For this they will be ridiculed(AJ)
    in the land of Egypt.(AK)

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 7:14 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts They gather together