[[Hosea 6|<< Hosea 6]] | [[Hosea|Hosea]] | [[Hosea 8|Hosea 8 >>]] ### Hosea 7 1 WHEN I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief comes in, _and_ the troop of robbers spoils without. ^1 2 And they consider not in their hearts _that_ I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face. ^2 3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. ^3 4 They _are_ all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, _who_ ceases from raising after he has kneaded the dough, until it be leavened. ^4 5 In the day of our king the princes have made _him_ sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners. ^5 6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleeps all the night; in the morning it burns as a flaming fire. ^6 7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: _there_ _is_ none among them that calls unto me. ^7 8 Ephraim, he has mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned. ^8 9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knows _it_ not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knows not. ^9 10 And the pride of Israel testifies to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this. ^10 11 ¶ Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. ^11 12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation has heard. ^12 13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me. ^13 14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, _and_ they rebel against me. ^14 15 Though I have bound _and_ strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me. ^15 16 They return, _but_ not to the most 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. ^16