Hosea 7:8

Israel Lacks Discernment and Refuses to Repent

7:8 Ephraim has mixed itself like flour ¹  among the nations;

Ephraim is like a ruined cake of bread that is scorched on one side. ² 

Hosea 9:2

9:2 Threshing floors and wine vats will not feed the people, ³ 

and new wine only deceives them. ⁴ 

Hosea 11:6

11:6 A sword will flash in their cities,

it will destroy the bars of their city gates,

and will devour them in their fortresses.

[7:8]  ¹ tn The words “like flour” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied by the imagery.

[7:8]  ² tn Heb “a cake of bread not turned.” This metaphor compares Ephraim to a ruined cake of bread that was not turned over in time to avoid being scorched and burned (see BDB 728 s.v. עֻגָה). Cf. NLT “as worthless as a half-baked cake.”

[9:2]  ³ tn Heb “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “her” (so KJV, ASV). This is taken as a collective singular (so also most modern English versions).