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Hosea 7
New Catholic Bible
Hosea 7
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 7
1 Whenever I decide to restore the fortunes of my people
and prepare to heal Israel,
the guilt of Ephraim confronts me
as well as the wicked deeds of Samaria.
They practice deceit;
thieves break into houses
while bandits plunder in the streets.[a]
2 But they somehow fail to remind themselves
that I remember all their wickedness.
I will not forget their wicked deeds;
they are constantly before my eyes.
The Conspirators
3 They delight the king with their wickedness
and the princes with their treachery.
4 All of them are adulterers;
they are like an oven all ablaze
whose fire the baker does not need to stoke
from the kneading of the dough until it has risen.
5 On the festal day of their king,
the princes become inflamed with wine
while the king extends his hand
to those who mock him.[b]
6 For they are heated like ovens
while their heart burns within them.
All through the night their passion slumbers;
in the morning it blazes forth like a flaming fire.
7 All of them are as hot as ovens,
and they consume their rulers.
All their kings have fallen;
not one of them calls out to me.
They Call upon Egypt, They Turn to Assyria
8 Ephraim mixes with the nations;
Ephraim is a half-baked cake.[c]
9 Foreigners have sapped his strength,
but he is unaware of it.
His hair is beginning to turn gray,
but he does not realize it.
10 Israel’s arrogance testifies against them,
but despite all this,
they do not return to the Lord, their God,
nor do they seek him.
11 Ephraim has become like a dove,
silly and without any sense.
They call upon Egypt;
they turn to Assyria.
12 Wherever they turn,
I will cast my net over them.
I will bring them down
like birds of the sky.
I will discipline them
because of their evil deeds.
13 Woe to them,
for they have strayed from me!
Destruction to them,
for they have rebelled against me!
I longed to redeem them,
but they continued to tell lies about me.
14 They have not cried out to me from their hearts
while they wailed upon their beds.
When they gash themselves to obtain grain and new wine,[d]
they are still rebelling against me.
15 Even though I supported and strengthened them,
they devise evil plots against me.
16 Everything they devise is of no avail;
they are like a defective bow.
Their leaders will fall by the sword
because of their insolent words.
As a result, they will be ridiculed
in the land of Egypt.
Footnotes
- Hosea 7:1 In healing the sick, physicians would have the sick person strip.
- Hosea 7:5 Probably an allusion to the assassination of Elah (see 1 Ki 16:8-14).
- Hosea 7:8 Ephraim is a half-baked cake: Ephraim (Israel) has suffered a decrease in power as a result of interfering in the politics of the surrounding peoples.
- Hosea 7:14 When they gash themselves to obtain grain and new wine: a practice that was prevalent in the Near East during prayers of supplication (see 1 Ki 18:28) but that was prohibited by the Israelite religion (see Lev 19:28; Deut 14:1).
Hosea 7
Common English Bible
Hosea 7
Common English Bible
7 When I would heal Israel,
the evil acts of Ephraim are exposed,
and the wicked deeds of Samaria;
for they deceive and steal,
a thief breaks in;
a group of bandits raid outside.
2 But they don’t consider within their hearts
that I remember all their wickedness.
Now their deeds show who they are,
right in front of my face.
3 By their wickedness they make the king glad,
and give joy to the officials with their lies.
4 They all act like adulterers;
they are like a heated oven,
whose baker doesn’t need to stoke the fire,
from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.
5 On the day of our king,
the officials became sick with the heat of wine;
he stretched out his hand to those who mocked him.
6 They approach like a hot oven, their hearts burning.
Throughout the night, their anger smolders;
in the morning, it continues to burn like a flaming fire.
7 All of them are hot as an oven;
they devour their rulers.
All their kings have fallen;
none of them call upon me.
8 Ephraim mixes himself among the people;
Ephraim is like flatbread that is cooked on only one side.
9 Strangers have eaten up his strength,
yet he doesn’t know it;
gray hairs are sprinkled here and there upon him,
yet he doesn’t know it.
10 Israel’s pride is a witness against him;
yet they don’t return to the Lord their God,
or seek him because of all this.
Foolishness and God’s wrath
11 Ephraim has become like a dove,
silly and without common sense;
they call upon Egypt; they go to Assyria.
12 As they go, I will spread my net over them;
like birds in the sky, I will bring them down;
I will judge them according to the report made to their assembly.
13 Doom to them, for they have strayed from me;
destruction will be their lot because they have rebelled against me.
I would redeem them,
but they speak lies against me.
14 They don’t cry to me from the heart,
but they sob upon their beds;
they fight[a] over grain and wine;
they resist me.
15 It was I who gave them their strength,
yet they plot evil against me.
16 They return, but not to the Most High;[b]
they have become like a worthless bow;
their officials will fall by the sword
because of the rage of their tongues;
in Egypt they will make fun of them.[c]
Footnotes
- Hosea 7:14 Or cut themselves
- Hosea 7:16 Heb uncertain
- Hosea 7:16 Or they will be scorned in the land of Egypt.
Hosea 7
New International Version
Hosea 7
New International Version
7 1 whenever I would heal Israel,
the sins of Ephraim are exposed
and the crimes of Samaria revealed.(A)
They practice deceit,(B)
thieves break into houses,(C)
bandits rob in the streets;(D)
2 but they do not realize
that I remember(E) all their evil deeds.(F)
Their sins engulf them;(G)
they are always before me.
3 “They delight the king with their wickedness,
the princes with their lies.(H)
4 They are all adulterers,(I)
burning like an oven
whose fire the baker need not stir
from the kneading of the dough till it rises.
5 On the day of the festival of our king
the princes become inflamed with wine,(J)
and he joins hands with the mockers.(K)
6 Their hearts are like an oven;(L)
they approach him with intrigue.
Their passion smolders all night;
in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
7 All of them are hot as an oven;
they devour their rulers.
All their kings fall,(M)
and none of them calls(N) on me.
8 “Ephraim mixes(O) with the nations;
Ephraim is a flat loaf not turned over.
9 Foreigners sap his strength,(P)
but he does not realize it.
His hair is sprinkled with gray,
but he does not notice.
10 Israel’s arrogance testifies against him,(Q)
but despite all this
he does not return(R) to the Lord his God
or search(S) for him.
11 “Ephraim is like a dove,(T)
easily deceived and senseless—
now calling to Egypt,(U)
now turning to Assyria.(V)
12 When they go, I will throw my net(W) over them;
I will pull them down like the birds in the sky.
When I hear them flocking together,
I will catch them.
13 Woe(X) to them,
because they have strayed(Y) from me!
Destruction to them,
because they have rebelled against me!
I long to redeem them
but they speak about me(Z) falsely.(AA)
14 They do not cry out to me from their hearts(AB)
but wail on their beds.
They slash themselves,[a] appealing to their gods
for grain and new wine,(AC)
but they turn away from me.(AD)
15 I trained(AE) them and strengthened their arms,
but they plot evil(AF) against me.
16 They do not turn to the Most High;(AG)
they are like a faulty bow.(AH)
Their leaders will fall by the sword
because of their insolent(AI) words.
For this they will be ridiculed(AJ)
in the land of Egypt.(AK)
Footnotes
- Hosea 7:14 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts They gather together
Hosea 7
New American Standard Bible
Hosea 7
New American Standard Bible
Ephraim’s Wrongdoing
7 When I (A)would heal Israel,
The wrongdoing of Ephraim is uncovered,
And the evil deeds of Samaria,
For they practice (B)deception;
The thief enters,
A band of (C)robbers attack outside,
2 And they do not [a]consider in their hearts
That I (D)remember all their wickedness.
Now their (E)deeds surround them;
They are before My face.
3 (F)With their wickedness they make the (G)king happy,
And the officials with their (H)lies.
4 They are (I)all adulterers,
Like an oven heated by the baker,
Who stops [b]stoking the fire
From the time the dough is kneaded until it is leavened.
5 On the [c]day of our king, the officials (J)became sick with the heat of wine;
He stretched out his hand with [d](K)scoffers,
6 For their hearts are like an (L)oven
As they approach their [e]plotting;
Their [f]anger [g]smolders all night,
In the morning it burns like flaming fire.
7 All of them are hot like an oven,
And they consume their (M)rulers;
All their kings have fallen.
(N)None of them calls on Me.
8 Ephraim is himself (O)thrown about with the [h]nations;
Ephraim has become a round loaf not turned over.
9 (P)Strangers devour his strength,
Yet he (Q)does not know it;
Gray hairs also are sprinkled on him,
Yet he does not know it.
10 Though the (R)pride of Israel testifies against him,
Yet (S)they have not returned to the Lord their God,
Nor have they sought Him, despite all this.
11 So (T)Ephraim has become like a gullible dove, (U)without [i]sense;
They call to (V)Egypt, they go to (W)Assyria.
12 When they go, I will (X)spread My net over them;
I will bring them down like the birds of the sky.
I will (Y)discipline them in accordance with the [j]proclamation to their assembly.
13 (Z)Woe to them, for they have (AA)strayed from Me!
Destruction is theirs, for they have rebelled against Me!
I (AB)would redeem them, but they have spoken lies against Me.
14 And (AC)they do not cry to Me from their heart
When they wail on their beds;
For the sake of grain and new wine they [k](AD)assemble themselves,
They (AE)turn against Me.
15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms,
Yet they (AF)devise evil against Me.
16 They turn, but not [l]upward,
They are like a (AG)loose bow;
Their officials will fall by the sword
Because of the [m](AH)insolence of their tongue.
This will be their (AI)derision in the land of Egypt.
Footnotes
- Hosea 7:2 Lit say to their
- Hosea 7:4 Lit stirring up
- Hosea 7:5 I.e., a festive occasion
- Hosea 7:5 Or rebels
- Hosea 7:6 Lit ambush
- Hosea 7:6 As in some ancient versions; MT baker
- Hosea 7:6 Lit is asleep
- Hosea 7:8 Lit peoples
- Hosea 7:11 Lit heart
- Hosea 7:12 Lit report
- Hosea 7:14 Or LXX and many ancient mss gash themselves
- Hosea 7:16 Or possibly to the Most High
- Hosea 7:16 Lit cursing
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
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New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.