Hosea
Chapter 7
1 When I wanted to heal Israel, Ephraim’s sin and Samaria’s evil were revealed because they lied, thieves broke in, and bands of robbers plundered outside.
2 They don’t think in their hearts that I remember all their bad actions: now what they’ve done surrounds them; they are in my sight.
3 They please the king with their bad deeds, and the leaders with their lies.
4 They are all unfaithful, like an oven the baker heats and then stops stoking after mixing the dough until it rises.
5 On our king’s day, the leaders made him sick with lots of wine; he joined in with those who mock.
6 They prepare their hearts like a hot oven while they wait in ambush. Their anger smolders all night and in the morning it blazes like a burning fire.
7 They all burn with anger like an oven and have destroyed their rulers; all their kings have fallen, and none of them call out to me.
8 Ephraim has mixed himself with other people; Ephraim is like an uncooked cake.
9 Outsiders have used up his energy, and he doesn’t realize it; even with gray hair scattered on him, he still doesn’t know.
10 Israel’s pride is shown openly, but they still don’t turn back to God or look for Him, despite everything.
11 Ephraim is like a foolish dove with no understanding: they turn to Egypt, they travel to Assyria.
12 When they go, I will throw my net over them; I will pull them down like birds of the sky; I will punish them as they have been told.
13 How terrible for them! They have run away from me. They will be destroyed because they have sinned against me. Even though I saved them, they have still told lies about me.
14 They haven’t truly called out to God; instead, they wail on their beds. They gather together for grain and wine, but they turn against God.
15 Even though I made their arms strong, they still plan to do bad things against me.
16 They come back, but not to God; they are like a faulty bow; their leaders will die by the sword because of their angry words; this will make them a joke in Egypt.