^1 When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was
discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood;
and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.

^2 And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their
wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before
my face.

^3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with
their lies.

^4 They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth
from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.

^5 In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles
of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.

^6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie
in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth
as a flaming fire.

^7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all
their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.

^8 Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake
not turned.

^9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea,
gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.

^10 And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not
return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.

^11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to
Egypt, they go to Assyria.

^12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring
them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their
congregation hath heard.

^13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them!
because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them,
yet they have spoken lies against me.

^14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled
upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they
rebel against me.

^15 Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they
imagine mischief against me.

^16 They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful
bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue:
this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

Was there anything that stood out as a caution or warning to you in
todays reading? What are some things we should strive to avoid based on
this chapter? And the flip side to that, how about some things we ought
to be doing?