Hosea 7

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.

When I would have healed those Ten Tribes of Israel, by the medicines applied by my prophets, then did the iniquity of Ephraim, which was the chief of them, and the wickedness of Samaria, the chief city of Israel, break out most outrageously, etc.

Hosea 7:3

They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

They are readily obsequious to their governors, in all their wicked commands; and do gladly sooth them up, with their lies and flatteries.

Hosea 7:4

They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from arising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.

They are all adulterers, burning with filthy lust, as hot as an oven heated by the baker; who forbears meddling any further with that flame, while the dough, that he hath kneaded, be sufficiently leavened; in which space, the heat of the oven grows to the height.

Hosea 7:5

In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.

In the day of the solemnity of our king, there hath been excess of surfeit and drunkenness, whereinto the princes have not stuck to draw in their sovereign himself; so as he hath been miscarried to consort with them, in their wicked debauchedness.

Hosea 7:6

For they have made ready their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.

They have given up their heart to beastly concupiscences, wherewith they have burned like an oven, while they lie in wait for an opportunity of fulfilling those wicked lusts; even like an oven, which the baker hath over-night filled with kindled wood, and, awaking in the morning, finds flaming with a strong fire.

Hosea 7:7

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.

They have burned with unclean and with malicious desires and affections, and have made away with many of their governors: all their late kings have come to an untimely end; and, indeed, there was none of them, that had any piety or goodness, or that cared to call upon me.

Hosea 7:8

Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

For Ephraim, he hath mixed himself with heathens, and is a professed associate with them: Ephraim is grown irresolute in his religion; like a cake, that is half dough, and half baked; so is he, half Israelite, half Pagan.

Hosea 7:9

Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, grey hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.

God hath sent foreign enemies to spoil and waste his country, and to carry away his substance, yet he is not sensible of this Divine Hand; yea, that part of his cake, which is not turned, is grown musty and hoary, and worthy to be cast out, yet he perceiveth it not.

Hosea 7:11

Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

Ephraim is like a silly dove: going on, without wit, without heed, into that net which is spread for him: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria for help; whereas, these will be their bane.

Hosea 7:12

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.

I will be as a fowler to this silly dove of Ephraim: I will spread my net upon them, and catch them in their own devices: I will fetch them into the compass of my judgments, as the fowls of heaven are caught in a snare: I will chastise them, in the same manner that my prophets have forewarned them.

Hosea 7:13

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.

Woe be unto them! for they have forsaken me, and have vainly sought help of impotent strangers: destruction will fall upon them, because they have willingly transgressed against

Hosea 7:14

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.

And, though they have made shew of some great repentance and humiliation, howling and crying upon the beds of their distress, yet they have not with their hearts unfeignedly sought unto me: they can meet together to consult how to prevent or remedy their dearth, but they nevertheless rebel against me, who do justly send it.

Hosea 7:15

Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.

And, though I have deserved well of them, in strengthening their hands against their enemies, and giving them many victories, yet do they requite me with imagining mischief against me, distrusting my power or will to save them.

Hosea 7:16

They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow.

They turn to their idols, instead of the Most High God: they turn aside like a broken bow, shooting out their arrows at a wrong mark.