Ephraim’s Iniquity

1When I heal Israel,

the iniquity of Ephraima will be exposed,

as well as the crimes of Samaria.

For they practice deceit and thieves break in;

bandits raid in the streets.

2But they fail to consider in their hearts

that I remember all their evil.

Now their deeds are all around them;

they are before My face.

3They delight the king with their evil,

and the princes with their lies.

4They are all adulterers,

like an oven heated by a baker

who needs not stoke the fire

from the kneading to the rising of the dough.

5The princes are inflamed with wine

on the day of our king;

so he joins hands

with those who mock him.

6For they prepare their heart like an oven

while they lie in wait;

all night their anger smolders;b

in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.

7All of them are hot as an oven,

and they devour their rulers.

All their kings fall;

not one of them calls upon Me.

8Ephraim mixes with the nations;

Ephraim is an unturned cake.

9Foreigners consume his strength,

but he does not notice.

Even his hair is streaked with gray,

but he does not know.

10Israel’s arrogance testifies against them,

yet they do not return to the LORD their God;

despite all this, they do not seek Him.

11So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove—

calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.

12As they go, I will spread My net over them;

I will bring them down like birds of the air.

I will chastise them

when I hear them flocking together.c

13Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me!

Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against Me!

Though I would redeem them,

they speak lies against Me.

14They do not cry out to Me from their hearts

when they wail upon their beds.

They slash themselvesd for grain and new wine,

but turn away from Me.

15Although I trained and strengthened their arms,

they plot evil against Me.

16They turn, but not to the Most High;

they are like a faulty bow.

Their leaders will fall by the sword

for the cursing of their tongue;

for this they will be ridiculed

in the land of Egypt.

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