Hosea 7
7
1when I would heal Israel,
the corruption of Ephraim is revealed,
and the wicked deeds of Samaria;
for they deal falsely,
the thief breaks in,
and the bandits raid outside.
2But they do not consider
that I remember all their wickedness.
Now their deeds surround them,
they are before my face.
3By their wickedness they make the king glad,
and the officials by their treachery.
4They are all adulterers;
they are like a heated oven,
whose baker does not need to stir the fire,
from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.
5On the day of our king the officials
became sick with the heat of wine;
he stretched out his hand with mockers.
6For they are kindled#7.6 Gk Syr: Heb brought near like an oven, their heart burns within them;
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 have fallen;
none of them calls upon me.
8Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples;
Ephraim is a cake not turned.
9Foreigners devour his strength,
but he does not know it;
gray hairs are sprinkled upon him,
but he does not know it.
10Israel's pride testifies against#7.10 Or humbles him;
yet they do not return to the Lord their God,
or seek him, for all this.
Futile Reliance on the Nations
11Ephraim has become like a dove,
silly and without sense;
they call upon Egypt, they go to Assyria.
12As they go, I will cast my net over them;
I will bring them down like birds of the air;
I will discipline them according to the report made to their assembly.#7.12 Meaning of Heb uncertain
13Woe to them, for they have strayed from me!
Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me!
I would redeem them,
but they speak lies against me.
14They do not cry to me from the heart,
but they wail upon their beds;
they gash themselves for grain and wine;
they rebel against me.
15It was I who trained and strengthened their arms,
yet they plot evil against me.
16They turn to that which does not profit;#7.16 Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain
they have become like a defective bow;
their officials shall fall by the sword
because of the rage of their tongue.
So much for their babbling in the land of Egypt.
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Hosea 7: NRSV
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New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.