Hosea 7

1. “When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria, for they have worked falsehood. And the thief comes in, the troop of robbers plunders outside.

2. And they consider not within their hearts that I remember all their evil. Now their own doings have hemmed them in; they are before My face.

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

4. They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker; he stops stirring, from kneading the dough, until it is leavened.

5. In the day of our king, the rulers have sickened themselves with the heat of wine. He stretches out his hand with scorners,

6. For they have made ready their hearts like an oven, while they lie in wait. Their baker sleeps at night; in the morning it burns like a flaming fire.

7. They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges. All their kings have fallen; there is none among them who calls to Me.

8. Ephraim mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake that is not turned.

9. Strangers have eaten up his strength, and he does not know. Yea, gray hairs are here and there on him, yet he knows it not.

10. And the pride of Israel testifies to his face. And they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek Him in all this.

11. Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart; they call to Egypt; they go to Assyria.

12. When they go, I will spread My net upon them; I will bring them down like the birds of heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation has heard.

13. Woe to them, for they have fled from Me! Destruction unto them—because they have sinned against Me. Though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against Me.

14. And they have not cried to Me with their heart, when they howled on their beds; they gather themselves for grain and wine, and they rebel against Me.

15. Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet they think evil against Me.

16. They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a deceitful bow; their rulers shall fall by the sword from the rage of their tongue. This shall be their scorn in the land of Egypt.”