8 Efrayim/Yisrael mixes itself among the peoples.

Efrayim is a flat cake that’s only been cooked on one side.

9 Foreigners have devoured his strength, but he hasn’t realised that.

Gray hairs are now mixed in, but he hasn’t noticed them.

10 Yisrael’s pride testifies against it,

yet they haven’t returned to their god Yahweh,

≈ nor have they tried to obey all his instructions.

11 Efrayim/Yisrael is like a dove, heartless and foolish,

calling to Egypt for help, then trying Assyria.

12 When they go there, I’ll spread my net over them.

≈ I’ll bring them down like the birds in the sky.

→ I’ll discipline them according to what they report back to their council.

13 They won’t end well because they’ve strayed from me.

≈ Devastation will hit them because they’ve rebelled against me.

→ I would have bought them back, but they told lies about me.

14 They don’t cry to me from their heart, but they wail on their beds.

They gather together for grain and new wine, but they turn away from me.

15 Although I trained them and helped them become strong,

they still plot evil against me.

16 They return, but not upward.

They’re like a slack bow.

Their leaders will die by the sword because they’ve been so insolent.

That’s why Egypt (Heb. Mitsrayim) will mock them.