1 whenever I would heal Israel,
the sins of Ephraim are exposed
and the crimes of Samaria revealed.
They practice deceit,
thieves break into houses,
bandits rob in the streets; |
2 but they do not realize
that I remember all their evil deeds.
Their sins engulf them;
they are always before me. |
3 "They delight the king with their wickedness,
the princes with their lies. |
4 They are all adulterers,
burning like an oven
whose fire the baker need not stir
from the kneading of the dough till it rises. |
5 On the day of the festival of our king
the princes become inflamed with wine,
and he joins hands with the mockers. |
6 Their hearts are like an oven;
they approach him with intrigue.
Their passion smolders all night;
in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire. |
7 All of them are hot as an oven;
they devour their rulers.
All their kings fall,
and none of them calls on me. |
8 "Ephraim mixes with the nations;
Ephraim is a flat cake not turned over. |
9 Foreigners sap his strength,
but he does not realize it.
His hair is sprinkled with gray,
but he does not notice. |
10 Israel's arrogance testifies against him,
but despite all this
he does not return to the LORD his God
or search for him. |
11 "Ephraim is like a dove,
easily deceived and senseless-
now calling to Egypt,
now turning to Assyria. |
12 When they go, I will throw my net over them;
I will pull them down like birds of the air.
When I hear them flocking together,
I will catch them. |
13 Woe to them,
because they have strayed from me!
Destruction to them,
because they have rebelled against me!
I long to redeem them
but they speak lies against me. |
14 They do not cry out to me from their hearts
but wail upon their beds.
They gather together1 7:14 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint They slash themselves for grain and new wine
but turn away from me. |
15 I trained them and strengthened them,
but they plot evil against me. |
16 They do not turn to the Most High;
they are like a faulty bow.
Their leaders will fall by the sword
because of their insolent words.
For this they will be ridiculed
in the land of Egypt. |
