Hosea 7:2-12

2 It never crosses their mind that I keep account of their every crime. They're mud-spattered head to toe with the residue of sin. I see who they are and what they've done.

3 "They entertain the king with their evil circus, delight the princes with their acrobatic lies.

4 They're a bunch of overheated adulterers, like an oven that holds its heat From the kneading of the dough to the rising of the bread.

5 On the royal holiday the princes get drunk on wine and the frenzy of the mocking mob.

6 They're like wood stoves, red-hot with lust. Through the night their passion is banked; in the morning it blazes up, flames hungrily licking.

7 Murderous and volcanic, they incinerate their rulers. Their kings fall one by one, and no one pays any attention to me.

8 "Ephraim mingles with the pagans, dissipating himself. Ephraim is half-baked.

9 Strangers suck him dry but he doesn't even notice. His hair has turned gray - he doesn't notice.

10 Bloated by arrogance, big as a house, Israel's a public disgrace. Israel lumbers along oblivious to God, despite all the signs, ignoring God.

11 "Ephraim is bird-brained, mindless, clueless, First chirping after Egypt, then fluttering after Assyria.

12 I'll throw my net over them. I'll clip their wings. I'll teach them to mind me!

Hosea 7:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 7

This chapter either begins a new sermon, discourse, or prophecy, or it is a continuation of the former; at least it seems to be of the same argument with the latter part of it, only it is directed to Israel alone; and consists of complaints against them because of their manifold sins, and of denunciations of punishment for them. They are charged with ingratitude to God, sinning in a daring manner against mercy, and with falsehood, thefts, and robberies, Ho 7:1; with want of consideration of the omniscience of God, and his notice of their sins, which surrounded them, Ho 7:2; with flattery to their king and princes, Ho 7:3; with adultery, which lust raged in them like a heated oven, Ho 7:4; with drunkenness, aggravated by drawing their king into it, Ho 7:5; with raging lusts, which devoured their judges, made their kings to fall, and brought on such a general corruption, that there were none that called upon the Lord, Ho 7:6,7; with mixing themselves with the nations of the earth, and so learning their ways, and bringing their superstition and idolatry into the worship of God, so that they were nothing in religion, like a half baked cake, Ho 7:8; with stupidity and insensibility of their declining state, Ho 7:9; with pride, impenitence, and stubbornness, Ho 7:10; with folly, in seeking to Egypt and Assyria for help, and not to the Lord; for which they would be taken as birds in a net, and sorely chastised, Ho 7:11,12; with ingratitude, hypocrisy, and deceitfulness; for all which they are threatened with destruction, Ho 7:13-16.