Hosea 7

Israel’s Corruption

1 When I try to heal Israel, Ephraim’s guilt shows up and Samaria’s crimes come out. They lie, thieves break in, and gangs rob in the streets.

2 They do not even think about the fact that I remember all their evil. Now their actions surround them, they are right in front of My face.

3 They make the king happy with their wickedness and the leaders laugh at their lies.

4 All of them burning with lust, like an oven heated by a baker who stops stirring the fire once the dough is kneaded.

5 On the king’s day, the leaders get drunk on wine, and he joins hands with mockers.

6 Their hearts burn like an oven while they wait to strike. All night their anger smolders, and by morning it flames up like fire.

7 All of them hot like an oven, they devour their rulers. All their kings fall, and none of them call out to Me.

Israel’s Foolish Alliances

8 Ephraim mixes himself with the nations. Ephraim is like bread baked on one side and raw on the other.

9 Foreigners drain his strength, but he does not even notice. His hair is turning gray, but he does not realize it.

10 Israel’s pride testifies against them, yet they do not return to the LORD their God or seek Him in all this.

11 Ephraim is like a clueless dove, easy to fool, running to Egypt, then flying to Assyria.

12 When they go, I will throw My net over them, bring them down like birds from the sky, and discipline them for their behavior.

13 Disaster to them, because they ran from Me. Destruction to them, because they rebelled against Me. I wanted to redeem them, but they speak lies about Me.

14 They do not cry out to Me from their hearts, they just wail on their beds. They gather for grain and wine, but turn away from Me.

15 I trained them, strengthened their arms, but they plan evil against Me.

16 They turn, but not toward Me. They are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their reckless talk. And this will be their humiliation in the land of Egypt.