Hosea 13

1 When the words of my law came from Ephraim, he was lifted up in Israel; but when he did evil through the Baal, death overtook him.

When Ephraim used to speak there was trembling; a prince was he in Israel. But he incurred guilt through Baal and died.

2 And now their sins are increased; they have made themselves a metal image, false gods from their silver, after their designs, all of them the work of the metal-workers; they say of them, Let them give offerings, let men give kisses to the oxen.

And now they go on sinning. They make for themselves molten gods – idols of silver, skilfully made, wholly the work of smiths. Yet to such they sacrifice! And they who sacrifice kiss calf idols!

3 So they will be like the morning cloud, like the dew which goes early away, like the dust of the grain which the wind is driving out of the crushing-floor, like smoke going up from the fireplace.

Therefore they shall be like the morning mist, like the dew that early disappears, like the chaff which blows away from the threshing floor, like the smoke from the window.

4 But I am the Lord your God, from the land of Egypt; you have knowledge of no other God and there is no saviour but me.

Yet it was I, the Lord your God, ever since the land of Egypt, you know no other god but me, nor has there been any saviour except me.

5 I had knowledge of you in the waste land where no water was.

It was I who shepherded you in the wilderness, in the land of burning heat.

6 When I gave them food they were full, and their hearts were full of pride, and they did not keep me in mind.

When they were pastured they became full, when they were full their hearts became proud. Therefore they forgot me!

7 So I will be like a lion to them; as a cruel beast I will keep watch by the road;

So now I will be to them like a lion, like a leopard will I lay in wait by the path.

8 I will come face to face with them like a bear whose young ones have been taken from her, and their inmost hearts will be broken; there the dogs will make a meal of them; they will be wounded by the beasts of the field.

I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will tear open their chests, like a lion will devour them, and like a wild beast will tear them in pieces.

9 I have sent destruction on you, O Israel; who will be your helper?

You are destroyed, Israel, by me, your only helper.

10 Where is your king, that he may be your saviour? and all your rulers, that they may take up your cause? of whom you said, Give me a king and rulers.

I want to rule you! Where are your princes in your cities, those of whom you demanded, ‘Give me kings and princes.’

11 I have given you a king, because I was angry, and have taken him away in my wrath.

I give you kings in my anger, and take them away in my wrath.

12 The wrongdoing of Ephraim is shut up; his sin is put away in secret.

Ephrahn’s iniquity is gathered up, his sin is laid by in store.

13 The pains of a woman in childbirth will come on him: he is an unwise son, for at this time it is not right for him to keep his place when children come to birth.

The pangs of childbirth come upon him, but he is an unwise child. For this is no time to refuse to leave the womb!

14 I will give the price to make them free from the power of the underworld, I will be their saviour from death: O death! where are your pains? O underworld! where is your destruction? my eyes will have no pity. (Sheol h7585)

Should I deliver them from the power of Sheol? Should I redeem them from death? Death, where are your plagues? Sheol, where is your pestilence? Compassion is forever hidden from my eyes. (Sheol h7585)

15 Though he gives fruit among his brothers, an east wind will come, the wind of the Lord coming up from the waste land, and his spring will become dry, his fountain will be without water: it will make waste the store of all the vessels of his desire.

Though he is flourishing among his brothers, there will come an east wind, the Lord’s wind, coming up from the wilderness. His fountain will dry up, his spring shall be parched. The wind will strip the treasury, all the precious things.

16 Samaria will be made waste, for she has gone against her God: they will be cut down by the sword, their little children will be broken on the rocks, their women who are with child will be cut open.

Samaria will bear her guilt, for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword, their children dashed to pieces, their pregnant women ripped open.