Hosea 7

1When I have healed Israel, then shall the iniquity of Ephraim be revealed, and the wickednessof Samaria; for they have wrought falsehood: and a thief shall come in to him,even a robber spoiling in his way; 2that they may concert together asmen singing in their heart: I remember all their wickedness: now have their own counsels compassedthem about; they came before my face. 3They gladdened kings with their wickedness, and princes with their lies. 4They are all adulterers, as an oven glowing with flame for hot-baking, on account of thekneading of the dough, until it is leavened. 5In the days of our kings, the princes began to be inflamed with wine: he stretched out hishand with pestilent fellows. 6Wherefore their hearts are inflamed as an oven, while they rage all the night: Ephraimis satisfied with sleep; the morning is come; he is burnt up as a flame of fire. 7They are all heated like an oven, and have devoured their judges: all their kings arefallen; there was not among them one that called on me. 8Ephraim is mixed among his people; Ephraim became a cake not turned. 9Strangers devoured his strength, and he knewit not; and grey hairs came upon him, and he knewit not. 10And the pride of Israel shall be brought down before his face: yet they have not returnedto the Lord their God, neither have they diligently sought him for all this. 11And Ephraim was as a silly dove, not having a heart: he called to Egypt, and they wentto the Assyrians. 12Whenever they shall go, I will cast my net upon them; I will bring them down as the birdsof the sky, I will chasten them with the rumor of theircoming affliction. 13Woe to them! for they have started aside from me: they are cowards; for they have sinnedagainst me: yet I redeemed them, but they spoke falsehoods against me. 14And their hearts did not cry to me, but they howled on their beds: they pined for oiland wine. 15They were instructed by me, and I strengthened their arms; and they devised evils againstme. 16They turned aside to that which is not, they became as a bent bow: their princes shallfall by the sword, by reason of the unbridled state of their tongue: this is their setting at nothingin the land of Egypt.

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