1 When I would heal Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, also the wickedness of Samaria; for they commit falsehood, and the thief enters in, and the gang of robbers ravages outside. 2 They don't consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness. Now their own deeds have engulfed them. They are before my face. 3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. 4 They are all adulterers. They are burning like an oven that the baker stops stirring, from the kneading of the dough, until it is leavened. 5 On the day of our king, the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He joined his hand with mockers. 6 For they have prepared their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait. Their baker sleeps all the night. In the morning it burns as a flaming fire. 7 They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges. All their kings have fallen. There is no one among them who calls to me. 8 Ephraim, he mixes himself among the nations. Ephraim is a pancake not turned over. 9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he doesn't realize it. Indeed, gray hairs are here and there on him, and he doesn't realize it. 10 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they haven't returned to Yahweh their God, nor sought him, for all this. 11 "Ephraim is like an easily deceived dove, without understanding. They call to Egypt. They go to Assyria. 12 When they go, I will spread my net on them. I will bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will chastise them, as their congregation has heard. 13 Woe to them! For they have wandered from me. Destruction to them! For they have trespassed against me. Though I would redeem them, yet they have spoken lies against me. 14 They haven't cried to me with their heart, but they howl on their beds. They assemble themselves for grain and new wine. They turn away from me. 15 Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, yet they plot evil against me. 16 They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a faulty bow. Their princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.
Here God complains that though he had employed every means for reforming Israel, they still persisted in their iniquity, without fearing the consequences, Hosea 7:1, Hosea 7:2; that those who ought to check their crimes were pleased with them, Hosea 7:3; and that they all burned with adultery, as an oven when fully heated, and ready to receive the kneaded dough, Hosea 7:4. The fifth verse alludes to some recent enormities; the sixth charges them with dividing their time between inactivity and iniquity; the seventh alludes to their civil broils and conspiracies; (see 2-Kings 15:10, 2-Kings 15:14, 2-Kings 15:25); the eighth to their joining themselves with idolatrous nations; and the ninth describes the sad consequence. The tenth verse reproves their pride and open contempt of God's worship; the eleventh reproves their foolish conduct in applying for aid to their enemies; (see 2-Kings 15:19; 2-Kings 17:4); the twelfth and thirteenth threaten them with punishments; the fourteenth charges them with hypocrisy in their acts of humiliation; the fifteenth with ingratitude; and the image of the deceitful bow, in the sixteenth verse, is highly expressive of their frequent apostasies; and their hard speeches against God shall be visited upon them by their becoming a reproach in the land of their enemies.
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, Hosea 7:1; with want of consideration of the omniscience of God, and his notice of their sins, which surrounded them, Hosea 7:2; with flattery to their king and princes, Hosea 7:3; with adultery, which lust raged in them like a heated oven, Hosea 7:4; with drunkenness, aggravated by drawing their king into it, Hosea 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, Hosea 7:6; 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, Hosea 7:8; with stupidity and insensibility of their declining state, Hosea 7:9; with pride, impenitence, and stubbornness, Hosea 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, Hosea 7:11; with ingratitude, hypocrisy, and deceitfulness; for all which they are threatened with destruction, Hosea 7:13.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.