Ephraim’s Iniquity
1 When I heal Israel,
the iniquity of Ephraim7:1 That is, the northern kingdom of Israel; also in verses 8 and 11 will be exposed,
as well as the crimes of Samaria.
For they practice deceit and thieves break in;
bandits raid in the streets.
2 But they fail to consider in their hearts
that I remember all their evil.
Now their deeds are all around them;
they are before My face.
3 They delight the king with their evil,
and the princes with their lies.
4 They are all adulterers,
like an oven heated by a baker
who needs not stoke the fire
from the kneading to the rising of the dough.
5 The princes are inflamed with wine
on the day of our king;
so he joins hands
with those who mock him.
6 For they prepare their heart like an oven
while they lie in wait;
all night their anger smolders;7:6 Literally their baker sleeps
in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
7 All of them are hot as an oven,
and they devour their rulers.
All their kings fall;
not one of them calls upon Me.
8 Ephraim mixes with the nations;
Ephraim is an unturned cake.
9 Foreigners consume his strength,
but he does not notice.
Even his hair is streaked with gray,
but he does not know.
10 Israel’s arrogance testifies against them,
yet they do not return to the LORD their God;
despite all this, they do not seek Him.
11 So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove —
calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.
12 As they go, I will spread My net over them;
I will bring them down like birds of the air.
I will chastise them
when I hear them flocking together.7:12 Or I will chastise them according to what was reported against them in the assembly.
13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me!
Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against Me!
Though I would redeem them,
they speak lies against Me.
14 They do not cry out to Me from their hearts
when they wail upon their beds.
They slash themselves7:14 Some Hebrew manuscripts and LXX; see 1 Kings 18:28. Most Hebrew manuscripts They gather together for grain and new wine,
but turn away from Me.
15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms,
they plot evil against Me.
16 They turn, but not to the Most High;
they are like a faulty bow.
Their leaders will fall by the sword
for the cursing of their tongue;
for this they will be ridiculed
in the land of Egypt.