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
, and the troop
of robbers spoileth
without
.
And they consider not in their hearts
that I remember
all their wickedness
: now their own doings
have beset them about
; they are before my face
.
They make the king glad
with their wickedness
, and the princes
with their lies
.
They are all adulterers, as an oven
heated
by the baker
, who ceaseth
from raising
after he hath kneaded
the dough
, until it be leavened
.
In the day of our king
the princes
have made him sick
with bottles
of wine
; he stretched out
his hand
with scorners
.
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
.
They are all hot as an oven
, and have devoured
their judges
; all their kings
are fallen
: there is none among them that calleth
unto me.
Ephraim, he hath mixed
himself among the people
; Ephraim
is a cake
not turned
.
Strangers have devoured
his strength
, and he knoweth
it not: yea, gray hairs
are here and there
upon him, yet he knoweth
not.
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.
Ephraim also is like a silly
dove
without heart
: they call
to Egypt
, they go
to Assyria
.
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
.
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.
And they have not cried unto me with their heart
, when they howled
upon their beds
: they assemble
themselves for corn
and wine
, and they rebel
against me.
Though I have bound and strengthened
their arms
, yet do they imagine
mischief
against me.
They return, but 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
shall be their derision
in the land
of Egypt
.