X Y1 7:-1-7. Internal wickedness. Idolatry. Political.
Z1 7:8-8:3. External trouble. Foreigners. "
Y2 8:4-6. Internal wickedness. Idolatry. "
Z2 8:7-10. External trouble. Foreigners. "
Y3 8:11-9:8. Internal wickedness. Idolatry. Religious.
Z3 9:9. External trouble. The days of Gibeah. "
Y4 9:10-10:8. Internal wickedness. Idolatry. "
Z4 10:9-15. External chastisement. The days of Gibeah. "
689-611 B.C.
Hosea 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 comes in, and the troop of robbers strips outside.
2 And they say not to their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before My face.
3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
4 They are all of them idolaters (kings, princes, and People are idolaters. See 1:2), [hot] like an oven heated by the baker, who leaves off from stoking it from [the time of] kneading the dough until it is ready for the fire. (Then he heats the oven to stop the fermentation. Even so these idolaters. See v.6.)
5 In the [feast] day of our king (see 2 Kings 15:10) the princes have made themselves sick with the heat of the wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.
6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven (like the baker in v.4), whiles they lie in wait: their anger smokes all the night (like the "oven" in v.4); in the morning it (i.e. the oven) burns as a flaming fire.
7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen (cp. 8:4. Of the 2 houses of Omri and Jehu: - Nadah, Zimri, Tibni, Jehoram, Zachariah, Shallum, Pekahiah, and Pekah were all slain by their successors, or others): there is none among them that calls to Me.
8 Ephraim, he has mixed himself among the peoples (or, nations); Ephraim is a cake not turned. ( I.e. a thin [pan]cake, burnt one side and moist the other, and therefore uneatable.)
9 Outsiders have devoured his strength, and he knows it not: yes, gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, yet he knows not.
10 And the pride of Israel (see 5:5) testifies to his face: and they do not return to the LORD (Yehovah) their God (Elohim. Cp. Deut. 4:29), nor seek Him for all this.
11 Ephraim also is like a harmless (or, innocent) dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. (See 2 Kings 15:19; 17:4-6. Cp. 5:13; 9:3; 12:1.)
12 Howsoever 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 has heard. (See Lev. 26:14,28. Deut. 27:14-26.)
13 Woe to them! for they have fled from Me: destruction to them! because they have revolted against Me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against Me.
14 And they have not cried to Me (cp. Job 35:9,10. Ps. 78:36. Jer. 3:10. Zech. 7:5) with their heart (they cried with their voice), when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves (in their idol temples) for corn and new wine, and they apostatized from Me.
15 Though I, even I, have warned (or instructed. Cp. Pss. 18:34; 144:1) and have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against Me.
16 They return, but not to Him Who is on High (cp. 11:7): they are like a deceitful bow (that disappoints the user, and cannot be depended upon. Cp. Ps. 78:57): their princes shall fall by the sword because of the wrath of their tongue [against God] (cp. Ps. 73:9): this shall be their ridicule in the land of Egypt. (See 9:3,6. Cp. Isa. 30:3,5.)