Hosea 7

1 Whenever I want to heal Israel, the sin of Ephraim is exposed, as well as the evil deeds of Samaria, for they practice deceit; a thief comes in, and a marauding band attacks in the street.

when I would heal Israel, then Ephrain’s guilt is revealed, and Samaria’s crimes are seen, how they practise fraud and the thief enters in, while outside bandits plunder.

2 They do not realize in their hearts that I remember all their evil deeds. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.

But it never crosses their minds that I remember their wickedness. Now their misdeeds surround them, they are always before my face.

3 With their evil they make the king glad, and by their lies the officials.

Their wickedness amuses the king, and their lying gladdens the princes,

4 They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker, who ceases to stir the fire from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.

since they are all of them adulterers. Their desire to do evil burns like an oven heated by the baker, so hot that he need not stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough, until it rises.

5 On the day of our king the officials made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He reached out with his hand to those who were mocking.

On our king’s festival day, the princes are flushed with fever from wine. He stretched forth his hand with the contemptuous,

6 For with hearts like an oven, they devise their deceitful plans. Their anger smolders all night; in the morning it burns high like a flaming fire.

for like an oven their heart burns with treachery, all night their anger smoulders, in the morning it blazes into a flame of fire.

7 They all are as hot as an oven, and they devour those who rule over them. All their kings have fallen; none of them calls on me.

All of them glow like an oven, they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen. There is none among them who calls to me.

8 Ephraim mixes himself among the peoples. Ephraim is a flat cake that has not been turned over.

Ephraim – he lets himself be mixed among the peoples, Ephraim – he has become a cake unturned.

9 Foreigners have devoured his strength, but he does not know it. Gray hairs are sprinkled on him, but he does not know it.

Strangers have devoured his strength, but he does not know it. His hair is sprinkled with grey, but he does not notice.

10 The pride of Israel testifies against him; however, they have not returned to Yahweh their God, nor have they sought him, in spite of all this.

Israel’s arrogance testifies against them yet they do not return to the Lord their God, and in all this they do not seek him.

11 Ephraim is like a dove, gullible and without sense, calling out to Egypt, then flying to Assyria.

Ephraim is like a simple, silly dove: to Egypt they call, after Assyria they go,

12 When they go, I will spread my net over them, I will bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will punish them in their flocking together.

wherever they turn I will spread my net over them, like birds of the sky I will bring them down, I will catch them when I hear them gathering.

13 Woe to them! For they have strayed from me. Devastation is coming to them! They have rebelled against me! I would have rescued them, but they spoke lies against me.

Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have been untrue to me. Although it was I who redeemed them, they speak lies about me.

14 They have not cried to me with all their heart, but they wail on their beds. They gather together for grain and new wine, and they turn away from me.

They have never cried to me with their hearts, but they are always wailing on their beds. They gather to beg for corn and new wine, but they turn away from me.

15 Though I trained them and strengthened their arms, they are now plotting evil against me.

Although it was I who trained and strengthened their arms, concerning me they plan only evil.

16 They return, but they do not return to me, the Most High. They are like a slack bow. Their officials will fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongues. This will become their mockery in the land of Egypt.

They turn away from the Most High. They have become like a bow that swerves. Their princes will fall by the sword, because of the insolence of their tongues. The land of Egypt will mock them.