Hosea 7

Israel's Iniquity and Rebellion

7¹ #3when 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. ² But they do not consider that I remember all their wickedness. Now their deeds surround them, they are before my face. ³ By their wickedness they make the king glad, and the officials by their treachery. ⁴ They 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. ⁵ On the day of our king the officials became sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers. ⁶ For they are kindled like an oven, their heart burns within them; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire. ⁷ All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen; none of them calls upon me.

⁸ Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned. ⁹ Foreigners devour his strength, but he does not know it; gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, but he does not know it. ¹⁰ Israel's pride testifies against him; yet they do not return to the Lord their God, or seek him, for all this. ¹¹ Ephraim has become like a dove, silly and without sense; they call upon Egypt, they go to Assyria. ¹² As 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. ¹³ Woe 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. ¹⁴ They 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. ¹⁵ It was I who trained and strengthened their arms, yet they plot evil against me. ¹⁶ They turn to that which does not profit; 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.