1 “When I was healing Israel, Ephraim’s sin was uncovered, along with Samaria’s wickedness. While they craft lying schemes, the thief invades, and the gang of thieves plunders outside. ISV — Hosea 7:1
2 It never occurs to them that I remember all their sin. Now their actions have caught up with them, and they have my attention. a7:2 Lit. they are before my face ISV — Hosea 7:2
3 They please the king with their evil, and the princes with their dishonesty. ISV — Hosea 7:3
4 All of them are adulterers— they burn like an oven prepared by the baker, who has ceased stoking it until the dough is leavened. ISV — Hosea 7:4
5 “On the king’s festival day the princes got drunk from wine, so the king b7:5 Lit. so he joined the mockers. ISV — Hosea 7:5
6 For they have stirred up themselves c7:6 Lit. up their heart like an oven as they lie in ambush. Their baker sleeps through the night; in the morning, the oven d7:6 Lit. morning, it will be blazing like a fire. ISV — Hosea 7:6
7 They all burn like an oven; they have consumed their judges; all their kings have fallen— not even one of them calls on me. ISV — Hosea 7:7
8 “Ephraim compromises with e7:8 Or dilutes himself among the nations; he’s a half-baked cake. f7:8 Lit. a cake not turned ISV — Hosea 7:8
9 Foreigners have consumed his strength, and he hasn’t noticed. Furthermore, his head is sprinkled with gray hair, but he doesn’t realize it. ISV — Hosea 7:9
10 Israel’s arrogance testifies against him; g7:10 Lit. testifies in his face but they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him in all of this. ISV — Hosea 7:10
11 “Ephraim is also like a silly dove, lacking sense: h7:11 Lit. heart They call out to Egypt, and turn toward Assyria. ISV — Hosea 7:11
12 When they go, I’ll cast my net over them. I’ll bring them down, as one shoots i7:12 The Heb. lacks one shoots birds in the sky. I’ll chasten them, as the assembly has already heard. ISV — Hosea 7:12
13 Woe to them— because they have run away from me. Ruin to them— because they have sinned against me. Even though I redeemed them, they spread lies against me. ISV — Hosea 7:13
14 They will not cry to me from their heart— instead, they wail on their beds. They gather together to eat and drink, j7:14 Lit. together for grain and fresh wine turning away from me. ISV — Hosea 7:14
15 “Though I have taught them and strengthened their arms, nevertheless they plot evil against me. ISV — Hosea 7:15
16 They return—but not to the Most High. They are like a defective weapon. k7:16 Lit. bow Their princes will fall by the sword because of their raging tongue, and they will be a laughingstock in the land of Egypt.” ISV — Hosea 7:16