Add parallel Print Page Options

When I heal Israel,
    Israel’s sin will ·go away [or be revealed/exposed],
and so will Samaria’s evil.

“They ·cheat a lot [practice deceit; commit fraud]!
    Thieves ·break into houses [L come in],
    and ·robbers [gangs] ·are in the streets [raid/pillage outside].
·It never enters their minds [L They never say in their hearts]
    that I remember all their evil deeds.
The bad things they do ·are all around [engulf; surround] them;
    they are ·right in front of me [always before my face].

Israel’s Evil Kings

“They make the king happy with their wickedness;
    their ·rulers [princes] are glad with their lies.
But all of them are ·traitors [L adulterers].
    They are like an oven heated by a baker.
·While he mixes the dough [L From the kneading of the dough until it is leavened],
    he does not need to stir up the fire.
The kings get so drunk they get sick ·every day [or on the festival day; L on the day].
    The ·rulers [princes] become ·crazy [inflamed] with wine;
    they ·make agreements [conspire; L stretch out their hands] with ·those who do not know the true God [mockers; scoffers].
Their hearts burn like an oven;
    as they plot [C an assassination] against him.
All night long their anger ·is low [smolders],
    but when morning comes, it becomes a roaring fire.
All ·these people [L of them] are as hot as an oven;
    they ·burn up [consume; devour] their rulers.
All their kings fall,
    and no one calls on me.

Israel and the Other Nations

“·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17] mixes with other nations;
    he is like a ·pancake [cake; flat loaf] ·cooked only on one side [or burned on one side; L not turned].
·Foreign nations [Strangers; Foreigners] have ·eaten up [devoured; sapped] his strength,
    but he doesn’t know it.
·Israel is weak and feeble, like an old man [L Grey hair is scattered on him],
    but he doesn’t know it.
10 Israel’s ·pride [arrogance] ·will cause their defeat [or testifies against him; L answers in his face];
    they will not ·turn back [return] to the Lord their God
    or ·look to him for help [L seek him] in all this.
11 Israel has become like a ·pigeon [dove]
    ·easy to fool [silly] and ·stupid [senseless].
First they call to Egypt for help.
    Then they ·run [turn; go] to Assyria.
12 When they go, I will ·catch them in a net [throw my net over them],
    I will bring them down like birds from the sky;
    I will ·punish [discipline] them ·countless times for their evil [or when I hear them flocking together; or according to the report given to the congregation].
13 ·How terrible for [L Woe to] them because they ·left [fled/strayed from] me!
    They will be destroyed, because they ·turned [rebelled] against me.
I want to ·save [redeem] them,
    but they have spoken lies against me.
14 They do not ·call [cry out] to me from their hearts.
    They just lie on their beds and ·cry [wail].
They ·come together [assemble themselves; or gash/slash themselves; C a ritual practiced by pagan Canaanite priests (Deut. 14:1; 1 Kin. 18:28; Jer. 16:6)] to ask for grain and new wine,
    but they really ·turn away from [rebel against] me.
15 Though I trained them and ·gave them strength [L strengthened their arms],
    they have ·made evil plans [plotted evil] against me.
16 They ·did not turn to [or turn, but not to] the Most High God.
    They are like a ·loose bow that can’t shoot [faulty bow].
Because ·their leaders brag about their strength [of their indignant/insolent tongue],
    they will ·be killed with swords [fall by the sword],
and the people in Egypt
    will ·laugh at [ridicule; deride] them.

Bible Gateway Recommends