Revised Standard Version RSV
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 when I would heal Israel, the corruption of E'phraim is revealed, and the wicked deeds of Sama'ria; for they deal falsely, the thief breaks in, and the bandits raid without.
1
"Whenever I want to heal Israel, all I can see is Ephraim's sin and Samaria's wickedness. People cheat each other. They break into houses and steal. They rob people in the streets.
2 But they do not consider that I remember all their evil works. Now their deeds encompass them, they are before my face.
2
They don't realize that I remember all the evil things they've done. Now their sins surround them. Their sins are in my presence.
3 By their wickedness they make the king glad, and the princes by their treachery.
3
"They make kings happy with the wicked things they do. They make officials happy with the lies they tell.
4 They are all adulterers; they are like a heated oven, whose baker ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.
4
They all commit adultery. They are like a heated oven, an oven so hot that a baker doesn't have to fan its flames when he makes bread.
5 On the day of our king the princes became sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers.
5
On the day of the king's celebration, the officials become drunk from wine, and the king joins mockers.
6 For like an oven their hearts burn with intrigue; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
6
They become hot like an oven while they lie in ambush. All night long their anger smolders, but in the morning it burns like a raging fire.
7 All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen; and none of them calls upon me.
7
They are all as hot as an oven. They consume their judges [like a fire]. All their kings die in battle, and none of them calls to me.
8 E'phraim mixes himself with the peoples; E'phraim is a cake not turned.
8
"Ephraim mixes with other nations. Ephraim, you are like a half-baked loaf of bread.
9 Aliens devour his strength, and he knows it not; gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not.
9
Foreigners are using up your strength, but you don't realize it. You have become a gray-haired, old man, but you don't realize it.
10 The pride of Israel witnesses against him; yet they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him, for all this.
10
Israel, your arrogance testifies against you, but even after all this, you don't turn to the LORD your God or look to him for help.
11 E'phraim is like a dove, silly and without sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria.
11
Ephraim, you are like a silly, senseless dove. You call for Egypt and run to Assyria for help.
12 As they go, I will spread over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the air; I will chastise them for their wicked deeds.
12
When you go, I will spread my net over you. I will snatch you out of the air like a bird. I will punish you for all the evil things you have done.
13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me.
13
"How horrible it will be for these people. They have run away from me. They must be destroyed because they've rebelled against me. I want to reclaim them, but they tell lies about me.
14 They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves, they rebel against me.
14
They don't pray to me sincerely, even though they cry in their beds and make cuts on their bodies while praying for grain and new wine. They have turned against me.
15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against me.
15
I trained them and made them strong. Yet, they plan evil against me.
16 They turn to Ba'al; they are like a treacherous bow, their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
16
They don't return to the Most High. They are like a defective bow. Their officials will die in battle because they curse. The people in Egypt will ridicule them for this.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.