1 When I would heal Israel,
The iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered,
And the evil deeds of Samaria,
For they deal falsely;
The thief enters in,
Bandits raid outside,
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2 And they do nota Lit say to their heartconsider in their hearts
That I remember all their wickedness.
Now their deeds are all around them;
They are before My face.
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3 With their wickedness they make the king glad,
And the princes with their lies.
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4 They are all adulterers,
Like an oven heated by the baker
Who ceases to stir up the fire
From the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.
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5 On theb I.e. a festive occasionday of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine;
He stretched out his hand with scoffers,
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6 For their hearts are like an oven
As they approach theirc Lit ambushplotting;
Theird So with some ancient versions; M.T. bakerangere Lit sleepssmolders all night,
In the morning it burns like a flaming fire.
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7 All of them are hot like an oven,
And they consume their rulers;
All their kings have fallen.
None of them calls on Me.
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8 Ephraim mixes himself with thef Lit peoplesnations;
Ephraim has become a cake not turned.
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9 Strangers devour his strength,
Yet he does not know it;
Gray hairs also are sprinkled on him,
Yet he does not know it.
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10 Though the pride of Israel testifies against him,
Yet they have not returned to the LORD their God,
Nor have they sought Him, for all this.
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11 So Ephraim has become like a silly dove, withoutg Lit heartsense;
They call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
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12 When they go, I will spread My net over them;
I will bring them down like the birds of the sky.
I will chastise them in accordance with theh Lit reportproclamation to their assembly.
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13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me!
Destruction is theirs, for they have rebelled against Me!
I would redeem them, but they speak lies against Me.
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14 And they do not cry to Me from their heart
When they wail on their beds;
For the sake of grain and new wine theyi Or with Gr and many ancient mss gash themselvesassemble themselves,
They turn away from Me.
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15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms,
Yet they devise evil against Me.
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16 They turn, but notj Or possibly to the Most Highupward,
They are like a deceitful bow;
Their princes will fall by the sword
Because of thek Lit indignation; or cursinginsolence of their tongue.
This will be their derision in the land of Egypt. | |
