Ephraim’s Sin

¹When I would heal Israel,

The sin (guilt) of Ephraim is uncovered,

And the wickedness of Samaria,

Because they practice false dealing;

The thief enters,

Bandits ravage and raid outside.

²But they do not consider in their hearts (minds)

That I remember [always] all their wickedness.

Now their deeds surround and entangle them;

They are before My face.

³They make the king glad with their wickedness,

And the princes with their lies.

⁴They are all adulterers;

Like the heat of an oven

When the baker ceases to stir the fire, [their passion smolders]

From the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.

⁵On the [special] day of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine;

The king stretched out his hand [in association] with scoffers (lawless people).

⁶As they approach their plotting,

Their mind burns [with intrigue] like an oven [while they lie in wait].

Their anger smolders all night;

In the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.

⁷They are all hot like an oven

And they consume their judges (rulers);

All their kings have fallen.

There is no one among them who calls to Me.

⁸¶Ephraim mixes himself with the [Gentile] nations [seeking favor with one country, then another];

Ephraim is a cake not turned [worthless; ready to be thrown away].

⁹Strangers have devoured his strength,

Yet he does not know it;

Gray hairs are sprinkled on him,

Yet he does not know.

¹⁰Though the pride of Israel testifies against him,

Yet they do not return [in repentance] to the Lord their God,

Nor seek nor search for nor desire Him [as essential] in spite of all this.

¹¹Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without heart or good sense;

They call to Egypt [for help], they go to Assyria.

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

I will bring them down like birds of the heavens [into Assyrian captivity].

I will chastise them in accordance with the proclamation (prophecy) to their congregation. [Lev 26:14-39; Deut 28:15-68]

¹³Woe (judgment is coming) to them, for they have wandered away from Me!

Devastation is theirs, because they have rebelled and trespassed against Me!

I would redeem them, but they speak lies against Me.

¹⁴They do not cry out to Me from their heart

When they wail on their beds [in unbelieving despair];

For the sake of grain and new wine they assemble themselves [as if worshiping Baal];

They rebel against Me.

¹⁵Although I trained and strengthened their arms [for victory over their enemies],

Yet they devise evil against Me.

¹⁶They turn, but they do not turn upward to the Most High.

They are like a poorly crafted bow [that misses the mark];

Their princes shall fall by the sword

Because of the insolence of their tongue.

This will be cause for their mockery and disdain in the land of Egypt.