# Hosea 7 • --- ### 1 When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, the troop of robbers spoileth without. ### 2 And they consider not in their hearts I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face. ### 3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. ### 4 They all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened. ### 5 In the day of our king the princes have made sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners. ### 6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire. ### 7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: none among them that calleth unto me. ### 8 Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned. ### 9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not. ### 10 And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this. ### 11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. ### 12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard. ### 13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me. ### 14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, they rebel against me. ### 15 Though I have bound strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me. ### 16 They return, not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this their derision in the land of Egypt.