Oseas 7:8-16

8 Efraín se envolvió con los pueblos; Efraín fue torta no vuelta.

9 Comieron extraños su sustancia, y él no lo supo; y aun vejez se ha esparcido por él, y él no lo entendió.

10 Y la soberbia de Israel testificará contra él en su cara; y no se tornaron al SEÑOR su Dios, ni lo buscaron con todo esto.

11 Y fue Efraín como paloma engañada, sin entendimiento; llamarán a Egipto, acudirán al asirio.

12 Cuando fueren, extenderé sobre ellos mi red; los haré caer como aves del cielo; los castigaré conforme a lo que se ha oído en sus congregaciones.

13 ¡Ay de ellos! Porque se apartaron de mí; destrucción sobre ellos, porque contra mí se rebelaron; yo los redimí, y ellos hablaron contra mí mentiras.

14 Y no clamaron a mí con su corazón cuando aullaron sobre sus camas; para el trigo y el mosto se congregaron; se rebelaron contra mí.

15 Y yo los ceñí, esforcé sus brazos, y contra mí pensaron mal.

16 Se tornaron, mas no al Altísimo; fueron como arco engañoso; cayeron sus príncipes a cuchillo por la soberbia de su lengua; éste será su escarnio en la tierra de Egipto.

Oseas 7:8-16 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.