Hosea 7–8

7When I would heal Israel, then is the iniquity of Ephraim uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they commit falsehood, and the thief entereth in, and the troop of robbers ravageth without. ²And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now have their own doings beset them about; they are before my face. ³They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. ⁴They are all adulterers; they are as an oven heated by the baker; he ceaseth to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough, until it be leavened. ⁵On the day of our king the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with scoffers. ⁶For they have made ready their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire. ⁷They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.

⁸Ephraim, he mixeth himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned. ⁹Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, and he knoweth it not. ¹⁰And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: yet they have not returned unto Jehovah their God, nor sought him, for all this. ¹¹And Ephraim is like a silly dove, without understanding: they call unto Egypt, they go to Assyria. ¹²When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the birds of the heavens; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard. ¹³Woe unto them! for they have wandered from me; destruction unto them! for they have trespassed against me: though I would redeem them, yet they have spoken lies against me. ¹⁴And they have not cried unto me with their heart, but they howl upon their beds: they assemble themselves for grain and new wine; they rebel against me. ¹⁵Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, yet do they devise mischief against me. ¹⁶They return, but not to him that is on high; they are like a deceitful bow; their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

8Set the trumpet to thy mouth. As an eagle he cometh against the house of Jehovah, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law. ²They shall cry unto me, My God, we Israel know thee. ³Israel hath cast off that which is good: the enemy shall pursue him. ⁴They have set up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off. ⁵He hath cast off thy calf, O Samaria; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency? ⁶For from Israel is even this; the workman made it, and it is no God; yea, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces. ⁷For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: he hath no standing grain; the blade shall yield no meal; if so be it yield, strangers shall swallow it up.

⁸Israel is swallowed up: now are they among the nations as a vessel wherein none delighteth. ⁹For they are gone up to Assyria, like a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers. ¹⁰Yea, though they hire among the nations, now will I gather them; and they begin to be diminished by reason of the burden of the king of princes.

¹¹Because Ephraim hath multiplied altars for sinning, altars have been unto him for sinning. ¹²I wrote for him the ten thousand things of my law; but they are counted as a strange thing. ¹³As for the sacrifices of mine offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it; but Jehovah accepteth them not: now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins; they shall return to Egypt. ¹⁴For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and builded palaces; and Judah hath multiplied fortified cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the castles thereof.