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Ephraim’s Iniquity

¹ When I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is exposed, with the crimes of Samaria. For they practice deceit and thieves break in; bandits rob in the streets.² But they fail to consider in their hearts that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds are all around them; they are before My face.³ They delight the king with their evil, the princes with their lies.⁴ They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by a baker who needs not stoke the fire from the kneading to the rising of the dough.⁵ The princes are inflamed with wine on the day of our king; so he joins hands with those who mock him.⁶ For they prepare their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.⁷ All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings fall; not one of them calls upon Me.

⁸ Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is an unturned cake.⁹ Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know.¹⁰ Israel’s arrogance testifies against them, yet they do not return to the LORD their God; despite all this, they do not seek Him.¹¹ So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove—calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.¹² As they go, I will spread My net over them; I will bring them down like birds of the air. I will chastise them when I hear them flocking together.¹³ Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against Me! Though I would redeem them, they speak lies against Me.¹⁴ They do not cry out to Me from their hearts when they wail upon their beds. They slash themselves^(a) for grain and new wine, but turn away from Me.¹⁵ Although I trained and strengthened their arms, they plot evil against Me.¹⁶ They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the cursing of their tongue; for this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.