A den of thieves
Whenever I would heal Israel, the sins of Ephraim are exposed and the crimes of Samaria revealed. They practise deceit, thieves break into houses, bandits rob in the streets; but they do not realise that I remember all their evil deeds. Their sins engulf them; they are always before me. They delight the king with their wickedness, the princes with their lies. They are all adulterers, burning like an oven whose fire the baker need not stir from the kneading of the dough till it rises. On the day of the festival of our king the princes become inflamed with wine, and he joins hands with the mockers. Their hearts are like an oven; they approach him with intrigue. Their passion smoulders 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, and none of them calls on me.
Whenever I would heal Israel, the sins of Ephraim are exposed and the crimes of Samaria revealed. They practise deceit, thieves break into houses, bandits rob in the streets;
When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.
but they do not realise that I remember all their evil deeds. Their sins engulf them; they are always before me.
And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.
They delight the king with their wickedness, the princes with their lies.
They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
They are all adulterers, burning like an oven whose fire the baker need not stir from the kneading of the dough till it rises.
They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.
On the day of the festival of our king the princes become inflamed with wine, and he joins hands with the mockers.
In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.
Their hearts are like an oven; they approach him with intrigue. Their passion smoulders all night; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
All of them are hot as an oven; they devour their rulers. All their kings fall, and none of them calls on me.
They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.
Ephraim among the nations
Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is a flat loaf not turned over. Foreigners sap his strength, but he does not realise it. His hair is sprinkled with grey, but he does not notice. Israel's arrogance testifies against him, but despite all this he does not return to the Lord his God or search for him. Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and senseless — now calling to Egypt, now turning to Assyria. When they go, I will throw my net over them; I will pull them down like the birds in the sky. When I hear them flocking together, I will catch them. Woe to them, because they have strayed from me. Destruction to them, because they have rebelled against me. I long to redeem them but they speak about me falsely. They do not cry out to me from their hearts but wail on their beds. They slash themselves, appealing to their gods for grain and new wine, but they turn away from me. I trained them and strengthened their arms, but they plot evil against me. They do not turn to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their insolent words. For this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.
Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is a flat loaf not turned over.
Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
Foreigners sap his strength, but he does not realise it. His hair is sprinkled with grey, but he does not notice.
Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.
Israel's arrogance testifies against him, but despite all this he does not return to the Lord his God or search for him.
And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.
Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and senseless — now calling to Egypt, now turning to Assyria.
Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
When they go, I will throw my net over them; I will pull them down like the birds in the sky. When I hear them flocking together, I will catch them.
When 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, as their congregation hath heard.
Woe to them, because they have strayed from me. Destruction to them, because they have rebelled against me. I long to redeem them but they speak about me falsely.
Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.
They do not cry out to me from their hearts but wail on their beds. They slash themselves, appealing to their gods for grain and new wine, but they turn away from me.
And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.
I trained them and strengthened their arms, but they plot evil against me.
Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.
They do not turn to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their insolent words. For this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.
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.