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They approach him, all the while plotting against him.
Their hearts are like an oven;
their anger smolders all night long,
but in the morning it bursts into a flaming fire.
All of them are blazing like an oven;
they devour their rulers.
All their kings fall,
and none of them call on me!

Israel Lacks Discernment and Refuses to Repent

Ephraim has mixed itself like flour[a] among the nations;
Ephraim is like a ruined cake of bread that is scorched on one side.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 7:8 tn The words “like flour” are not in the Hebrew text but are implied by the imagery.
  2. Hosea 7:8 tn Heb “a cake of bread not turned.” This metaphor compares Ephraim to a ruined cake of bread that was not turned over in time to avoid being scorched and burned (see BDB 728 s.v. עֻגָה). Cf. NLT “as worthless as a half-baked cake.”

Their hearts are like an oven;(A)
    they approach him with intrigue.
Their passion smolders all night;
    in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
All of them are hot as an oven;
    they devour their rulers.
All their kings fall,(B)
    and none of them calls(C) on me.

“Ephraim mixes(D) with the nations;
    Ephraim is a flat loaf not turned over.

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