Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
Parallel translations
- WEB Ephraim, he mixes himself among the nations. Ephraim is a pancake not turned over.
- BSB Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is an unturned cake.
- NKJV “Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake unturned.
- NASB ¶Ephraim is himself thrown about with the nations; Ephraim has become a round loaf not turned over.
- NLT “The people of Israel mingle with godless foreigners, making themselves as worthless as a half-baked cake!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Ephraim mixes with the nations and has become like a half-baked cake, unturned and useless.
Overview
By entangling itself in foreign alliances and pagan ways, Ephraim has lost its distinct identity as God's people, becoming like a cake burned on one side and raw on the other. The image conveys something spoiled and good for nothing. This warning against worldly compromise calls God's people in every age to remain set apart for Him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Ps 106:35But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.
- Neh 13:23–25In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:
- Ezra 9:12Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.
- Mal 2:11Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.
- Ezra 9:1Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
- 1 Kgs 18:21And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
- Zeph 1:5And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;
- Matt 6:24No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
- Hos 5:13When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.
- Hos 9:3They shall not dwell in the LORD’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.
- Hos 8:2–4Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.
- Hos 5:7They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.
- Rev 3:15–16I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
- Ezek 23:4–11And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's relentless love for an unfaithful bride dramatizes the gospel: 'Out of Egypt I called my son' is fulfilled in Jesus, who redeems an adulterous people at his own cost.
How Hosea 7:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.