[1] when I would heal Israel, the corruption of E'phraim is revealed, and
the wicked deeds of Sama'ria; for they deal falsely, the thief breaks in,
and the bandits raid without. [2] But they do not consider that I remember
all their evil works. Now their deeds encompass them, they are before my
face. [3] By their wickedness they make the king glad, and the princes by
their treachery. [4] They are all adulterers; they are like a heated oven,
whose baker ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until
it is leavened. [5] On the day of our king the princes became sick with the
heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers. [6] For like an oven
their hearts burn with intrigue; all night their anger smolders; in the
morning it blazes like a flaming fire. [7] All of them are hot as an oven,
and they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen; and none of them
calls upon me. [8] E'phraim mixes himself with the peoples; E'phraim is a
cake not turned. [9] Aliens devour his strength, and he knows it not; gray
hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not. [10] The pride of Israel
witnesses against him; yet they do not return to the LORD their God, nor
seek him, for all this. [11] E'phraim is like a dove, silly and without
sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria. [12] As they go, I will spread
over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the air; I will
chastise them for their wicked deeds. [13] Woe to them, for they have
strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I
would redeem them, but they speak lies against me. [14] They do not cry to
me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they
gash themselves, they rebel against me. [15] Although I trained and
strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against me. [16] They turn to
Ba'al; they are like a treacherous bow, their princes shall fall by the
sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their
derision in the land of Egypt.
