Part 641

6:7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

6:8 Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.

6:9 And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.

6:10 I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.

6:11 Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people.

7:1 When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.

7:2 And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.

7:3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

7:4 They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.

7:5 In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.

7:6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.

7:7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.

7:8 Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

7:9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.

7:10 And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.

7:11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

7:12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.

7:13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.

7:14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.

7:15 Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.

7:16 They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

8:1 Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.

8:2 Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.

8:3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.

8:4 They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.

8:5 Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency? 8:6 For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

8:7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.

8:8 Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.