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; 2But they fail to consider in their hearts that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds are all around them; 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 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; 9Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, 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, 14They do not cry out to Me from their hearts when they wail upon their beds. They slash themselvesd for grain and new wine, 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. Footnotes: 1 a That is, the northern kingdom of Israel; also in verses 8 and 11 6 b Literally their baker sleeps 12 c Or I will chastise them according to what was reported against them in the assembly. 14 d Some Hebrew manuscripts and LXX; see 1 Kings 18:28. Most Hebrew manuscripts They gather together The Berean Bible (www.Berean.Bible) Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2020 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Free downloads and licensing available. See also the Berean Literal Bible and Berean Interlinear Bible. OpenBible.com |