Hoshea 7:1-7

1 When I would have healed Yisroel, then the avon (iniquity) of Ephrayim was exposed, and the ra’ot (crimes) of Shomron; for they practice sheker; and the ganav intrudes, and the bandit robs bachutz (in the street).

2 And they consider not in their levavot that I remember all their ra’ah; now their own evil doings surround them; they are before My face.

3 They make the Melech glad with their ra’ah, and the sarim (princes) with their lies.

4 They are all no’afim (adulterers), as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth stirring from the kneading of the batzek (dough), until its chametz leavening rises.

5 In the Yom Malkeinu the sarim (princes) have made him sick with the heat of yayin; he has stretched out his hand with the letzim (mockers).

6 For they have made ready their lev like an oven, while they lie in wait; their anger smolders kol halailah; in the boker it burneth like an eish of flame.

7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their shofetim; all their melachim are fallen; there is none among them that calleth unto Me.

Hoshea 7:1-7 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.