1. When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief comes in, and the troop of robbers plunders outside.
2. And they do not consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings surround them; they are before my face.
3. They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
4. They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker, who ceases from raising it after he has kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.
5. In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.
6. For they have made ready their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait: their baker sleeps all night; in the morning it burns like a flaming fire.
7. They are all hot like an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them who calls to me.
8. Ephraim, he has mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned over.
9. Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knows it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knows not.
10. And the pride of Israel testifies to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.
11. Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
12. When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down like the birds of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation has heard.
13. Woe to them! for they have fled from me: destruction to them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.
14. And they have not cried to me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for grain and wine, and they rebel against me.
15. Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet they imagine mischief against me.
16. They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
| 
