1When I would heal Israel,The guilt of Ephraim reveals itselfAnd the wickedness of Samaria.For they have acted treacherously,With thieves breaking inAnd bands raiding outside.
2And they do not considerThat I remembered all their wickedness.Why, their misdeeds have been all around them,athem Emendation yields “Me.” They have been ever before Me.
3bVv. 3–6 would read well in the order 4, 6, 3, 5. In malice they make a king merry,And officials in treachery.
4They commit adultery,ccommit adultery Emendation yields “rage.” all of them,Like an oven fired by a baker,Who desists from stoking onlyFrom the kneading of the dough to its leavening.
5The day they made our king sick[And] officials with the poison of wine,He gave his hand to traitors.dHe gave his hand to traitors I.e., he trusted traitors; but meaning of verse uncertain.
6For they approach their ambushWith their hearts like an oven:eFor they approach … like an oven Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Through the nightTheir bakerfbaker Emendation yields “rage.” has slept;In the morning, it flares upLike a blazing fire.
7They all get heated like an ovenAnd devour their rulers—None of them calls to Me.All their kings have fallen [by their hand].
8gMeaning of verse uncertain. Ephraim is among the peoples;He is rotting away.Ephraim is like a cake—Incapable of turning.
9Strangers have consumed his strength,But he has taken no notice;Also, moldhmold Like Akkadian shību; in contrast to others “gray hairs.” is scattered over him,But he has taken no notice.
10Though Israel’s pride has been humbledBefore his very eyes,They have not turned backTo their God the ETERNAL One—Whom they have not soughtDespite everything.
11Instead, Ephraim has actedLike a silly dove with no mind:They have appealed to Egypt!They have gone to Assyria!
12When they go, I will spreadMy net over them,I will bring them downLike birds of the sky;I will chastise themWhen I hear their bargaining.iI will chastise them / When I hear their bargaining Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
13Woe to themFor straying from Me;Destruction to themFor rebelling against Me!For I was their Redeemer;Yet they have plotted treason against Me.
14jThis verse would read well after 8.2. But they did not cry out to Me sincerelyAs they lay wailing.klay wailing Like true penitents; cf. Isa. 58.5. They debauchldebauch Cf. Aramaic gar/yegur “to commit adultery”; for the thought, cf. 4.11. over new grain and new wine,They are faithlessmfaithless Taking yasuru as equivalent to yasoru, from sarar; cf. 9.15 end. to Me.
15I braced, I strengthened their arms,And they plot evil against Me!
16They come back;They have been of no use,nThey have been of no use Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Like a slack bow.Their officers shall fall by the sword,Because of the stammeringostammering Cf. Arabic zaghūm and zughmūm “a stammerer.” of their tongues.Such shall be [the results of] their jabberingpjabbering I.e., the negotiations conducted in the Egyptian language. In the land of Egypt.