1 When I have healed Israel, then shall the iniquity of Ephraim be revealed, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they have wrought falsehood: and a thief shall come in to him, even a robber Lit. stripping spoiling in his way;
2 that they may concert together as men singing in their heart: I remember all their wickedness: now have their own counsels compassed them about; they came before my face.
3 They gladdened kings with their wickedness, and princes with their lies.
4 They are all adulterers, as an oven glowing with flame for hot-baking, on account of the kneading of the Compl. zumhv, leaven dough, until it is leavened.
5 In the days of our kings, the princes began to be inflamed with wine: he stretched out his hand with pestilent fellows.
6 Wherefore their hearts are inflamed as an oven, while they rage all the night: Ephraim is satisfied with sleep; the morning is come; he is burnt up as a flame of fire.
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 on me.
8 Ephraim is mixed among his people; Ephraim became a cake not turned.
9 Strangers devoured his strength, and he knew it not; and grey hairs came upon him, and he knew it not.
10 And the pride of Israel shall be brought down before his face: yet they have not returned to the Lord their God, neither have they diligently sought him for all this.
11 And Ephraim was as a silly dove, not having a heart: he called to Egypt, and they went to the Assyrians.
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 chasten them with the rumor of their coming affliction.
13 Woe to them! for they have started aside from me: they are cowards; for they have sinned against me: yet I redeemed them, but they spoke falsehoods against me.
14 And their hearts did not cry to me, but they howled on their beds: they Gr. cut themselves pined for oil and wine.
15 They were instructed by me, and I strengthened their arms; and they devised evils against me.
16 They turned aside to Gr. nothing that which is not, they became as a bent bow: their princes shall fall by the sword, by reason of the unbridled state of their tongue: this is their setting at nought in the land of Egypt.