Hosea 7:8–10

Israel Lacks Discernment and Refuses to Repent

7:8 Ephraim has mixed itself like flour9 among the nations;

Ephraim is like a ruined cake of bread that is scorched on one side.10

7:9 Foreigners are consuming what his strenuous labor produced,11

but he does not recognize it!

His head is filled with gray hair,

but he does not realize it!

7:10 The arrogance of Israel testifies against him,

yet they refuse to return to the Lord their God!

In spite of all this they refuse to seek him!

9	tn The words “like flour” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied by the imagery.
10	tn Heb “a cake of bread not turned.” This metaphor compares Ephraim to a ruined cake of bread that was not turned over in time to avoid being scorched and burned (see BDB 728 s.v. עֻגָה). Cf. NLT “as worthless as a half-baked cake.”
11	tn Heb “foreigners consume his strength”; NRSV “devour (sap NIV) his strength.”