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