The Sins of Ephraim
1 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.
2 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.
3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, And the princes with their lies.
4 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.
5 In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; He stretched out his hand with scorners.
6 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.
7 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.
8 Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: Yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.
10 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.
11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without heart: They call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
12 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.
13 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.
14 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.
15 Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, Yet do they imagine mischief against me.
16 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.
