Hosea
7 “At the time when I would heal Israel,
The error of Eʹphra·im is also exposed,+
And the wickedness of Sa·marʹi·a.+
2 But they do not say in their heart that I will remember all their wickedness.+
Now their dealings are all around them;
They are right in front of my face.
3 They make the king rejoice by their wickedness,
And princes by their deceit.
4 All of them are adulterers,
Burning like an oven fired by a baker,
Who stops stirring the fire after kneading the dough until it is leavened.
He has reached out his hand to ridiculers.
6 For they approach with hearts burning like an oven.*
All night long the baker sleeps;
In the morning the oven blazes like a flaming fire.
8 Eʹphra·im mixes with the nations.+
Eʹphra·im is like a round cake left unturned.
9 Strangers have consumed his strength,+ but he does not know it.
And his gray hairs have turned white, but he does not notice it.
10 The pride of Israel has testified against him,+
But they have not returned to Jehovah their God,+
Nor have they looked for him despite all of this.
11 Eʹphra·im is like a simpleminded dove, lacking good sense.*+
They have called out to Egypt;+ they have gone to As·syrʹi·a.+
12 Wherever they go, I will spread my net over them.
I will bring them down like the birds of the heavens.
I will discipline them according to the warning given to their assembly.+
13 Woe to them, for they have fled from me!
Devastation to them, for they have transgressed against me!
I was ready to redeem them, but they have spoken lies against me.+
For their grain and new wine they would slash themselves;
They turn against me.
15 Although I disciplined them and strengthened their arms,
They are against me, scheming what is bad.
Their princes will fall by the sword because of their defiant tongues.
For this they will be an object of ridicule in the land of Egypt.”+