Osee 7

1 When I have healed Israel, then shall the iniquity of Ephraim be revealed, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they have wrought falsehood: and a thief shall come in to him, [even] a robber spoiling in his way;

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.

2 that they may concert together as [men] singing in their heart: I remember all their wickedness: now have their own counsels compassed them about; they came before my face.

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.

3 They gladdened kings with their wickedness, and princes with their lies.

They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

4 They are all adulterers, as an oven glowing with flame for hot-baking, on account of the kneading of the dough, until it is leavened.

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.

5 [In] the days of our kings, the princes began to be inflamed with wine: he stretched out his hand with pestilent fellows.

On the day of our king, the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He joined his hand with mockers.

6 Therefore their hearts are inflamed as an oven, while they rage all the night: Ephraim is satisfied with sleep; the morning is come; he is burnt up as a flame of fire.

For they have prepared their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait. Their anger smoulders all night. In the morning it burns as a flaming fire.

7 They are all heated like an oven, and have devoured their judges: all their kings are fallen; there was not amongst them one that called on me.

They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges. All their kings have fallen. There is no one amongst them who calls to me.

8 Ephraim is mixed amongst his people; Ephraim became a cake not turned.

Ephraim mixes himself amongst the nations. Ephraim is a pancake not turned over.

9 Strangers devoured his strength, and he knew [it] not; and grey hairs came upon him, and he knew [it] not.

Strangers have devoured his strength, and he doesn’t realise it. Indeed, grey hairs are here and there on him, and he doesn’t realise it.

10 And the pride of Israel shall be brought down before his face: yet they have not returned to the Lord their God, neither have they diligently sought him for all this.

The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they haven’t returned to the LORD their God, nor sought him, for all this.

11 And Ephraim was as a silly dove, not having a heart: he called to Egypt, and they went to the Assyrians.

“Ephraim is like an easily deceived dove, without understanding. They call to Egypt. They go to Assyria.

12 Whenever they shall go, I will cast my net upon them; I will bring them down as the birds of the sky, I will chasten them with the rumour of their [coming] affliction.

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 started aside from me: they are cowards; for they have sinned against me: yet I redeemed them, but they spoke falsehoods against me.

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 And their hearts did not cry to me, but they howled on their beds: they pined for oil and wine.

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 They were instructed by me, and I strengthened their arms; and they devised evils against me.

Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, yet they plot evil against me.

16 They turned aside to that which is not, they became as a bent bow: their princes shall fall by the sword, by reason of the unbridled state of their tongue: this is their setting at nothing in the land of Egypt.

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.