7 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. 2 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. 3 They
make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. 4 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. 5 In
the day of our king the princes have made him 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: there is 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 it 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, and they rebel against
me. 15 Though
I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against
me. 16 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.