Hosea 7:2-12

2 They never say to themselves that I remember all their evil. Now their own deeds surround them; they are right in front of me.

3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the leaders with their lies.

4 They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker, who doesn't stoke the fire from kneading time till the dough has risen.

5 "On their king's special day the leaders inflame him with wine, and he joins hands with scorners,

6 who ready themselves like an oven while they wait for their chance. Their baker sleeps through the night; then in the morning it bursts into flame.

7 They are all as hot as an oven, and they devour their judges. All their kings have fallen; not one of them calls out to me.

8 "Efrayim mixes himself with the peoples, Efrayim has become a half-baked cake.

9 Foreigners have eaten up his strength, but he doesn't know it; yes, gray hairs appear on him here and there, but he doesn't know it.

10 The pride of Isra'el testifies in his face, but in spite of all this they haven't returned to ADONAI their God or sought him.

11 Efrayim behaves like a silly, foolish dove - going to Egypt, then to Ashur for help.

12 Even as they go, I will spread my net over them; I will bring them down like birds from the sky; I will discipline them, as their assembly was told.

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.