Hosea 7

1When I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, and the evil deeds of Samaria; for they practice falsehood. A thief comes in; a raiding band strips outside.

2And they do not say in their heart that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.

3By their evil they make the king glad, and by their lies the princes.

4All of them are adulterers, like an oven heated by a baker, who stops stirring from the kneading of the dough until its leavening.

5On the day of our king, the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers.

6For they draw near with their hearts like an oven in their lying in wait; all night their baker sleeps, but in the morning it burns like a flaming fire.

7All of them are hot like an oven, and they devour their judges; all their kings have fallen. None among them calls to me.

8Ephraim mixes himself among the peoples; Ephraim has become a cake not turned.

9Strangers have devoured his strength, but he does not know it; even gray hair is sprinkled on him, but he does not know it.

10The pride of Israel testifies against him, yet they do not return to Yahweh their God, nor do they seek him in all this.

11Ephraim has become like a silly dove, without sense; they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

12As they go, I will spread my net over them; like the birds of the heavens I will bring them down. I will chasten them according to the report to their assembly.

13Woe to them, for they have wandered away from me! Destruction is theirs, for they have rebelled against me. Though I would redeem them, they speak lies against me.

14They do not cry out to me from their heart, but they wail on their beds; for grain and new wine they gather themselves; they turn away from me.

15Though I trained and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against me.

16They turn, but not upward; they are like a deceitful bow. Their princes will fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This will be their mockery in the land of Egypt.