Uncovered Wickedness
Study note
Whenever God tries to heal Israel, more sin is uncovered. The people of Samaria, the capital city, are full of dishonesty. Thieves break into homes, and robbers attack in the streets. They do not stop to consider that God sees and remembers all their wickedness. Their sins have piled up around them.
1 Every time I try to heal Israel, I uncover more of Ephraim's sin and Samaria's wickedness. They are experts at lying and cheating. Burglars break in everywhere, and thieves rob people in broad daylight. 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.
2 It never crosses their minds that I see and remember every wicked thing they do. Their sins pile up around them and stare me right in the face. 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.
3 Their wickedness entertains the king, and the royal officials love hearing their lies. They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
Burning Like an Oven
Study note
God compares the people to an oven heated by a baker. Their sinful desires burn hot within them. They use their schemes to entertain the king and princes. Like an oven left burning all night, their anger and plots burst into flame in the morning. Their kings keep falling one after another, yet no one calls on God for help.
4 They all burn with unfaithfulness like an oven that a baker has cranked up to full heat. The baker only stops feeding the fire while he waits for the dough to rise. 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.
5 On the king's birthday party, the officials got sick from drinking too much. The king himself joined in with the people who mocked and made fun. In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.
6 Their hearts smolder with plots all night long, like coals in a covered oven. Come morning, the fire blazes up in full flame. 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 They all burn hot with fury like an oven, consuming their own leaders one after another. Every one of their kings has been brought down, and not a single one has bothered calling out to me for help. 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.
A Half-Baked Cake
Study note
God says Ephraim has mixed himself with the surrounding nations and lost his identity, like a cake that was only cooked on one side -- useless and ruined. Foreigners have drained away his strength, but he does not even notice. He is growing old and weak, but he cannot see it. Israel's pride speaks against him, yet he still refuses to return to the LORD.
8 Ephraim has mixed himself in with foreign nations until he has lost his identity. He is like a pancake that is only cooked on one side — half-done and useless. Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
9 Foreigners have been sucking the life out of him, but he has no clue. Gray hairs are popping up all over his head, but he does not even notice he is getting old. Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.
10 Israel's arrogance speaks loudly against him. Even after all these wake-up calls, they refuse to come back to the LORD their God or even look for him. 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.
A Foolish Dove
Study note
God compares Ephraim to a silly dove that flies back and forth without thinking. Israel keeps running to Egypt and Assyria for help instead of turning to God. God says He will catch them like birds in a net. He has redeemed them, but they speak lies against Him. They cry out on their beds but do not sincerely call to God from their hearts. God trained them and made them strong, yet they turn against Him.
11 Ephraim acts like a silly dove with no sense at all. One minute they call Egypt for help. The next they run to Assyria. Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
12 Wherever they go, I will throw my net and snag them like birds from the sky. I will bring them down and discipline them, just as I warned their people I would. 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.
13 Disaster is heading their way, because they wandered off from me! Ruin will catch them, because they rebelled against me! I wanted to rescue them, but all they gave me in return was lies. 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.
14 They never cry out to me from their hearts. Instead, they lie around on their beds moaning and groaning. They gather together begging for grain and wine, but they turn their backs on me. 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.
15 I was the one who trained them and made them strong, and they repay me by plotting evil against me. Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.
16 They look around for help, but never upward to the Most High. They are like a bow that always shoots crooked. Their leaders will be cut down for their arrogant talk, and the Egyptians will laugh at how pathetic they have become. 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.