Hosea 7

King James Version

Full text for Hosea Chapter 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.

2And 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.

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

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

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

6For 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.

7They 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.

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

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

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

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

12When 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.

13Woe 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.

14And 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.

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

16They 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Hosea 7 reveals God's desire to heal Israel, which instead exposes Ephraim's deep iniquity and Samaria's pervasive wickedness, marked by falsehood and internal corruption. Despite God's remembrance of their sins, they engage in political treachery and spiritual adultery, turning to foreign nations like Egypt and Assyria rather than seeking the Lord. Their leaders are corrupt, and the people are likened to a heated oven, consumed by their own desires. Consequently, God declares woe upon them for their rebellion and promises chastisement for their unfaithfulness.

Medium Summary

The chapter opens with God's intention to restore Israel, which instead uncovers the profound iniquity of Ephraim and the wickedness of Samaria, characterized by deceit, theft, and internal strife. The people and their leaders, including kings and princes, are steeped in lies, adultery, and revelry, making the king glad with their wickedness. They are likened to a heated oven, consumed by their own desires and devouring their judges, with none among them calling upon God. Ephraim is depicted as a "cake not turned," having mixed itself among other nations and lost its strength without realizing its decline. Their pride prevents them from returning to the Lord, and their foolish reliance on foreign alliances like Egypt and Assyria leads them further astray. God promises to spread a net of chastisement upon them for their persistent rebellion and transgression against Him.

Long Summary

When God sought to heal Israel, the profound iniquity of Ephraim and the wickedness of Samaria were laid bare, revealing a nation rife with falsehood, theft, and internal robbery. The people failed to consider that God remembered all their wickedness, as their own deeds surrounded them and were constantly before His face. Their leaders, from the king to the princes, delighted in lies and wickedness, making the king sick with wine and associating with scorners. The nation is depicted as universally adulterous, their hearts heated like an oven by their own lusts and treacherous plots, consuming their judges and witnessing the fall of their kings, yet none sought the Lord. Ephraim is further characterized as having mixed itself among the peoples, becoming like an "untreated cake" that is half-baked and ineffective, losing its strength to strangers without awareness. The pride of Israel openly testifies against them, yet they refuse to return to the LORD their God or seek Him despite their plight. Like a "silly dove without heart," they foolishly call to Egypt and go to Assyria for help. God declares that when they pursue these alliances, He will spread His net upon them, bringing them down as fowls of the heaven and chastising them as they have heard. Woe is pronounced upon them for fleeing from God and transgressing against Him, even though He had redeemed and strengthened them. They howl upon their beds for material needs but do not cry to God with their hearts, rebelling against Him and imagining mischief. Their return is not to the Most High, and they are likened to a "deceitful bow," whose princes shall fall by the sword for their rage, becoming a derision in Egypt.

Core Concepts

  • Ephraim's IniquityThe deep-seated and pervasive sinfulness of the northern kingdom, characterized by falsehood, theft, and moral corruption, which was revealed when God desired to bring healing.
  • Political CorruptionThe wickedness of Israel's leaders, including kings and princes, who delighted in lies, revelry, and treachery, contributing to the nation's downfall and instability.
  • Spiritual AdulteryThe widespread unfaithfulness of the people to God, likened to a heated oven, signifying their burning lusts and readiness for sin rather than devotion.
  • Foreign AlliancesIsrael's misguided reliance on nations like Egypt and Assyria for protection and aid, rather than seeking the Lord, demonstrating a lack of trust and spiritual discernment.
  • Unturned CakeA metaphor describing Ephraim's incomplete and ineffective state, having mixed with other peoples and lost its distinct identity and strength without realizing its decline.
  • God's ChastisementThe divine judgment promised upon Israel for their rebellion and transgression, depicted as God spreading a net to bring them down like fowls.
  • Deceitful BowA metaphor illustrating Israel's unreliability and spiritual apostasy, as they fail to return to the Most High and prove untrustworthy in their covenant with God.