When I would heal Israel, then is the iniquity of Ephraim uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they commit falsehood, and the thief entereth in, and the troop of robbers ravageth without.
And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now have their own doings beset them about; they are before my face.
They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
They are all adulterers; they are as an oven heated by the baker; he ceaseth to stir the fire , from the kneading of the dough, until it be leavened.
On the day of our king the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with scoffers.
For they have made ready their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.
Ephraim, he mixeth himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, and he knoweth it not.
And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: yet they have not returned unto Jehovah their God, nor sought him, for all this.
And Ephraim is like a silly dove, without understanding: they call unto Egypt, they go to Assyria.
When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the birds of the heavens; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.
Woe unto them! for they have wandered from me; destruction unto them! for they have trespassed against me: though I would redeem them, yet they have spoken lies against me.
And they have not cried unto me with their heart, but they howl upon their beds: they assemble themselves for grain and new wine; they rebel against me.
Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, yet do they devise mischief against me.
They return, but not to him that is on 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.
Canonical academic citations for Hosea 7 (ASV) — copy in your preferred format.
Hosea 7 (ASV). Prime Bible, accessed July 26, 2026. https://primebible.com/asv/hosea/7.
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Hidden sin boils like an oven: intrigue topples kings, foreign alliances sap strength, yet Israel will not cry to God from the heart—woe for their rebellious lies and faulty bow.
Marriage metaphor portrays Israel's unfaithfulness and God's persistent love.
Hosea 7 is presented with the full Hebrew interlinear, Strong's numbers, and verse-by-verse cross-references on Prime Bible — a free, nonprofit Bible study platform.