Hosea 7, verse 1. “When I have healed Israel, Then shall the wrongdoing of Ephraim And the evil of Samaria be revealed, For they have worked falsehood. A thief shall come in to him, Even a robber taking spoil in his way, Hosea 7, verse 2. That they may sing together As men singing in their heart. I remember all their evils; Now their own counsels have encircled them; They were before My face. Hosea 7, verse 3. They gladdened kings with their evils And princes with their lies. Hosea 7, verse 4. “They are all adulterers, Like an oven heated for cooking, Burning with a flame during the kneading of the dough Until it is leavened. Hosea 7, verse 5. In the days of our kings, The princes began to be inflamed with wine; He stretched out his hand with pestilent fellows. Hosea 7, verse 6. Wherefore their hearts are inflamed like an oven While they were falling down all the night. Ephraim is satisfied with sleep; The morning is come; He is burnt up like a flame of fire. Hosea 7, verse 7. They are all heated like an oven And have devoured their judges. All their kings are fallen; There was not among them one that called upon Me. Hosea 7, verse 8. “Ephraim is mixed among his peoples; Ephraim became a cake not turned. Hosea 7, verse 9. Strangers devoured his strength, And he knew it not. Grey hairs came upon him, And he knew it not. Hosea 7, verse 10. The pride of Israel shall be humbled before his face; Yet they have not returned to the Lord their God, Neither have they diligently sought Him in spite of all this.
Trusting Other Nations Is Futile
Hosea 7, verse 11. “Ephraim was like a silly dove, not having a heart; He called to Egypt, and they went to the Assyrians. Hosea 7, verse 12. Whenever they shall go, I will cast My net upon them; I will bring them down as the birds of the sky. I will chastise them through the news of their affliction. Hosea 7, verse 13. “Woe to them, for they have turned away from Me! They are cowards, For they have committed impious deeds against Me. Yet I redeemed them, But they spoke falsehoods against Me. Hosea 7, verse 14. Their hearts did not cry aloud to Me, But they wailed upon their beds. “They slashed themselves for oil and wine; They were chastised by Me. Hosea 7, verse 15. I strengthened their arms, But they devised evils against Me. Hosea 7, verse 16. They turned aside to nothing; They became as a stretched bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword; They will be despised in the land of Egypt Because of their unrestrained tongue.