Hoshea 7:2-12

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.

8 Ephrayim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephrayim is a flat cake not turned over.

9 Zarim have devoured his ko’ach, and he knoweth it not; yea, gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, yet he hath no da’as.

10 And the ga’on Yisroel testifieth to his face; and they do not return to Hashem Eloheihem, nor seek Him for all this.

11 Ephrayim also is like an easily deceived yonah without sense; they call to Mitzrayim, they turn to Assyria.

12 When they shall go, I will spread My reshet (net) upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of Shomayim; I will chastise them, when I hear them congregating.

Hoshea 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.