Hosea 7:8 kjv
Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
Hosea 7:8 nkjv
"Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake unturned.
Hosea 7:8 niv
"Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is a flat loaf not turned over.
Hosea 7:8 esv
Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
Hosea 7:8 nlt
"The people of Israel mingle with godless foreigners,
making themselves as worthless as a half-baked cake!
Hosea 7 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hosea 7:8 | "Ephraim is a cake not turned." | Hosea 7:8 |
| Isaiah 9:13 | "For Israel doth afflict himself, but he is not turned unto the LORD his God, nor sought him." | Isaiah 9:13 (Lack of repentance) |
| Jeremiah 8:5 | "Wherefore doth this people slide by a perpetual backsliding, O Ephraim? They hold fast to deceit..." | Jeremiah 8:5 (Persistent rebellion) |
| Jeremiah 5:3 | "O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved..." | Jeremiah 5:3 (No true remorse) |
| Amos 4:6-10 | Records instances where God sent judgment, yet "yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD." | Amos 4:6-10 (Unreturned hearts) |
| Proverbs 4:18 | "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." | Proverbs 4:18 (Contrast to unevenness) |
| Revelation 3:15-16 | "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." | Revelation 3:15-16 (Spiritual lukewarmness) |
| Galatians 5:9 | "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." | Galatians 5:9 (Spreading corruption) |
| Romans 11:22 | "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." | Romans 11:22 (Consequences of spiritual decay) |
| Hosea 5:11 | "Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment of vanity." | Hosea 5:11 (Willingness to follow vanity) |
| Psalm 78:34 | "When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God." | Psalm 78:34 (Contrast in crisis response) |
| 1 Corinthians 15:33 | "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners." | 1 Corinthians 15:33 (Influence of corrupting factors) |
| Ezekiel 18:30 | "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn..." | Ezekiel 18:30 (Call to repentance) |
| Luke 17:32 | "Remember Lot's wife." | Luke 17:32 (Looking back leads to ruin) |
| John 3:19 | "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light..." | John 3:19 (Preference for darkness) |
| Hosea 1:2 | "The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms..." | Hosea 1:2 (Foundation of unfaithfulness) |
| Matthew 6:24 | "No 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." | Matthew 6:24 (Serving dual masters) |
| Hosea 6:4 | "O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your love is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it vanisheth away." | Hosea 6:4 (Fleeting love for God) |
| Acts 15:38 | "But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them unto the work." | Acts 15:38 (Lack of commitment in ministry) |
| 2 Timothy 4:10 | "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world..." | 2 Timothy 4:10 (Love of the world) |
Hosea 7 verses
Hosea 7 8 Meaning
This verse describes Israel as a "cake baked on one side," signifying a state of being half-hearted and unevenly devoted to God. It highlights their spiritual instability and readiness for judgment due to their internal corruption and lack of genuine repentance.
Hosea 7 8 Context
Hosea chapter 7 describes the deep-seated corruption and spiritual unfaithfulness of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Despite numerous warnings and instances of divine chastisement, they have not turned back to the Lord in true repentance. They are consumed by idolatry, political intrigue, and moral decay. Verse 8 specifically uses the metaphor of a burnt cake to illustrate their incomplete and ineffective spiritual state, highlighting their inability to benefit from God's covenant or escape judgment. The surrounding verses paint a picture of a nation riddled with wickedness, foreign alliances, and a misplaced trust in their own strength and pagan practices.
Hosea 7 8 Word Analysis
Ephraim: Refers to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, often used metonymically for the entire nation due to Ephraim's prominence as a leading tribe.
is: The verb "to be," indicating a state or condition.
a cake: The Hebrew word
uggahrefers to a flat cake or griddle cake, typically baked.baked: The Hebrew word
chammahcan mean "heat," "fever," or "baked," indicating it was cooked or exposed to heat.on one side: The Hebrew phrase
min-evarmeans "from side" or "on one side." This points to incomplete or partial cooking, where one side is burnt while the other remains unbaked. This signifies their spiritual immaturity and lack of wholeness in their devotion to God.Grouped Words Analysis:
- "Ephraim is a cake not turned": This is a potent metaphor. A cake that is not turned will burn on the bottom and remain raw on top. This implies that Israel's spiritual efforts are incomplete. They might perform outward religious acts, but their hearts are not fully surrendered, leading to spiritual scorching (judgment) on one side and spiritual deficiency (raw, uncooked) on the other. It speaks to a superficiality and lack of sincere, thorough transformation. This relates to the idea found in Revelation 3:15-16 where lukewarmness is condemned because it is neither one thing nor the other.
Hosea 7 8 Bonus Section
The metaphor of the "cake not turned" also carries the implication of a wasted or spoiled offering. Just as a badly baked cake cannot be properly consumed, Israel's attempts at worship and covenant observance are rendered invalid by their underlying sin and lack of sincere conversion. This verse, along with Hosea 6:4 ("your love is like a morning cloud, and like the early dew that vanishes"), underscores a pattern of spiritual inconsistency and spiritual fickleness that characterized much of Israel's history, prompting God's judgment rather than restoration.
Hosea 7 8 Commentary
The imagery of the "cake not turned" is a stark indictment of Israel's spiritual condition. They are like a baked good left unattended, partially burnt and partially uncooked, rendering it inedible and useless. This symbolizes their incomplete repentance and their shallow, inconsistent commitment to God. They have experienced God's hand, both in blessing and in judgment, but have failed to truly turn and be transformed. This spiritual half-heartedness leaves them vulnerable to divine wrath. Their affection for God is fleeting, like a morning cloud, and their practices are uneven, demonstrating a life lived at odds with true discipleship.