1 ¶ When I was healing Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim was uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they worked deceit; and the thief comes in, and the troop of robbers spoils without.

When I would heal Israel, then Ephraim’s guilt is uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria; how they practice falsehood, and the thief enters and the troop of bandits ravage and raid without.

2 A nd they do not consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness; now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.

But they do not consider and say to their minds and hearts that I remember all their wickedness. Now their own doings surround and entangle them; they are before My face.

3 T hey make the king glad with their wickedness and the princes with their lies.

They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

4 T hey are all adulterers as an oven heated by the baker who shall cease from waking after he has kneaded the dough until it is leavened.

They are all adulterers; their passion smolders like heat of an oven when the baker ceases to stir the fire from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.

5 I n the day of our king the princes have made him sick with a wineskin; he stretched out his hand with the scorners.

On the day of our king the princes made themselves and him sick with the heat of wine; stretched out his hand with scoffers and lawless men.

6 F or they have made ready their heart like an oven while they lie in wait; their baker sleeps all night; in the morning it burns as a flaming fire.

For they have made ready their heart, and their mind burns like an oven while they lie in wait. Their anger smolders all night; in the morning it blazes forth as a flaming fire.

7 T hey are all hot as an oven and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen; there is no one among them that calls unto me.

They are all hot as an oven and devour their judges; all their kings are fallen; there is none among them who calls to Me.

8 ¶ Ephraim, he has mixed himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

Ephraim mixes himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

9 S trangers have devoured his strength, and he does not know it; yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he does not understand.

Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knows it not; yes, gray hairs are sprinkled here and there upon him, and he does not know it.

10 A nd the pride of Israel shall testify to his face, and they have not returned to the LORD their God, nor have they sought him with all this.

And the pride of Israel testifies against him and to his face. But they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek nor inquire of nor require Him in spite of all this.

11 E phraim also was like a deceived dove, without understanding; they shall call to Egypt, they shall go to Assyria.

Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart or understanding; they call to Egypt; they go to Assyria.

12 W hen they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them according to what has been heard in their congregations.

As they go, I will spread My net over them; I will bring them down like birds of the heavens. I will chastise them according to the announcement to their congregation.

13 W oe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction upon them! because they have rebelled against me; though I have ransomed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.

Woe to them, for they have wandered from Me! Destruction to them, because they have rebelled and trespassed against Me! Though I would redeem them, yet they have spoken lies against Me.

14 A nd they have not cried unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds; they congregated themselves for the wheat and the wine, and they rebelled against me.

They do not cry to Me from their heart, but they wail upon their beds; they gash and distress and assemble themselves for grain and new wine; they rebel against Me.

15 T hough I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet they imagine evil against me.

Although I have chastened them and trained and strengthened their arms, yet they think and devise evil against Me.

16 T hey returned, but not to the most High; they were like a deceitful bow; their princes fell by the sword for the arrogance of their tongue; this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

They turn back, shift, or change, but not upwards. They are like a deceitful bow; their princes shall fall by the sword for the insolence and rage of their tongue. This shall be their derision and scorning in the land of Egypt.