Hosea 7
1 When I heal Israel, Ephraim’s guilt is exposed, along with Samaria’s wicked deeds, for they practice deceit: a thief breaks in, and a band of raiders plunders outside.
2 They do not say in their hearts, “I remember all their wickedness.” Now their deeds surround them; they are right before my face.
3 They delight the king with their wickedness, and the officials with their lies.
4 They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker, who stops tending the fire from the time he kneads the dough until it rises.
5 On our king’s day, the officials fell ill from the heat of wine; he reached out his hand to the mockers.
6 For in their scheming their hearts draw near like an oven; their baker sleeps all night, and in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
7 They all burn like an oven and devour their judges; all their kings have fallen, and none among them calls to me.
8 Ephraim mingles with the nations; Ephraim has become a cake left unturned.
9 Foreigners have consumed his strength, and he does not know it; even gray hairs are scattered over him, and he does not know it.
10 Israel’s pride testifies against him, yet despite all this they have not returned to the LORD their God, nor have they sought him.
11 Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove: they call to Egypt and go to Assyria.
12 When they go, I will spread my net over them; I will bring them down like birds of the sky and discipline them as announced to their assembly.
13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction upon them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they have spoken lies against me.
14 They do not cry out to me from the heart, but wail on their beds; they gather for grain and new wine, then turn away from me.
15 I disciplined them and strengthened their arms, but they plot evil against me.
16 They turn back, but not to the Most High; they are like a treacherous bow. Their officials will fall by the sword because of their furious words; this will be their mockery in the land of Egypt.
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