Fathers

Hosea 7

Tap a verse to read the Fathers. Press and hold, then drag, to make a card.

When I would heal Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, also the wickedness of Samaria; for they commit falsehood, and the thief enters in, and the gang of robbers ravages outside. They don’t consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness. Now their own deeds have engulfed them. 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 burning like an oven that the baker stops stirring, from the kneading of the dough, until it is leavened. On the day of our king, the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He joined his hand with mockers. For they have prepared their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait. Their baker sleeps all the night. In the morning it burns as a flaming fire. They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges. All their kings have fallen. There is no one among them who calls to me. Ephraim, he mixes himself among the nations. Ephraim is a pancake not turned over. Strangers have devoured his strength, and he doesn’t realize it. Indeed, gray hairs are here and there on him, and he doesn’t realize it. The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they haven’t returned to Yahweh their God, nor sought him, for all this. “Ephraim is like an easily deceived dove, without understanding. They call to Egypt. They go to Assyria. When they go, I will spread my net on them. I will bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will chastise them, as their congregation has heard. Woe to them! For they have wandered from me. Destruction to them! For they have trespassed against me. Though I would redeem them, yet they have spoken lies against me. They haven’t cried to me with their heart, but they howl on their beds. They assemble themselves for grain and new wine. They turn away from me. Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, yet they plot evil against me. They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a faulty bow. Their princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.

About · Privacy · Credits · Support VRSZ

What the Fathers say

Hosea 7:8

Western Saints

Jerome

"Ephraim mingled himself with the people. Ephraim is become as bread baked under the ashes, that is not turned." LXX: "Ephraim was mingled with his own people: Ephraim is become as ashes, which is not returned." The kingdom of ten tribes has been made, like all nations, because they have departed from the Lord: and like ashes of bread, which does not return, that is, does not do penance. …

Commentary on Hosea 7:8-10 ↗

Gregory the Dialogist

Ephraim is a cake under the ashes not turned. For a cake under the ashes, that hath ashes upon it, lays the cleaner side flat to the ground, and has the upper side the fouler, in proportion as it carries the ashes upon it. And so with the mind that harbours earthly thoughts, what else does it carry upon itself but a load of ashes? But if it will be 'turned,' the clean surface, which it had kept downwards, it brings back to the top, when it has shaken off the ashes that it had upon it. …

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XI, Section 10 ↗