1 when I heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim and the crimes of Samaria will be exposed. For they practise fraud; a thief breaks in; a raiding party pillages outside. 2 But they never consider that I remember all their evil. Now their actions are all around them; they are right in front of my face. Israel’s Corruption3 They please the king with their evil, the princes with their lies. 4 All of them commit adultery; they are like an oven heated by a baker who stops stirring the fire from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened. 5 On the day of our king, the princes are sick with the heat of wine – there is a conspiracy with traitors. 6 For they #– #their hearts like an oven – draw him into their oven. Their anger smoulders all night; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire. 7 All of them are as hot as an oven, and they consume their rulers. All their kings fall; not one of them calls on me. 8 Ephraim has allowed himself to get mixed up with the nations. Ephraim is unturned bread baked on a griddle. 9 Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with grey, but he does not notice. 10 Israel’s arrogance testifies against them, , yet they do not return to the Lord their God, and for all this, they do not seek him. 11 So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove; they call to Egypt, and they go to Assyria. 12 As they are going, I will spread my net over them; I will bring them down like birds of the sky. I will discipline them in accordance with the news that reaches their assembly. The Lord ’s Second Lament13 Woe to them, for they fled from me; destruction to them, for they rebelled against me! Though I want to redeem them, they speak lies against me. 14 They do not cry to me from their hearts; rather, they wail on their beds. They slash themselves , for grain and new wine; they turn away from me. 15 I trained and strengthened their arms, but they plot evil against me. 16 They turn, but not to what is above; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their insolent tongue. They will be ridiculed for this in the land of Egypt. |
© 2024, Holman Bible Publishers
LifeWay Christian Resources