Hosea 13
1 When Ephraim used to speak there was trembling; a prince was he in Israel. But he incurred guilt through Baal and died.
When once Ephraim spoke, [all] trembled, so high was he exalted in Israel; but he offended through Ba'al, and he died.
2 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!
And now they yet continue to sin, and have made themselves molten images of their silver, idols according to their own imagining, every one of them the work of the artisan: they say to them, They that sacrifice men may kiss the calves.
3 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.
Therefore shall they be as the morning cloud, and as the dew that early passeth away, as the chaff that is driven by the whirlwind out of the threshing-floor, and as smoke out of a window.
4 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.
Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt: and no god but me shalt thou know, and there is no saviour beside me.
5 It was I who shepherded you in the wilderness, in the land of burning heat.
I myself did provide for thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.
6 When they were pastured they became full, when they were full their hearts became proud. Therefore they forgot me!
When they came to their pasture, they became sated; they were sated, and their heart was lifted up: therefore have they forgotten me.
7 So now I will be to them like a lion, like a leopard will I lay in wait by the path.
And now I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard will I lie in wait by the way.
8 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.
I will meet them as a bear bereaved of her whelps, and I will rend their closed-up heart; and I will devour them there like a lioness, the beasts of the field shall rend them.
9 You are destroyed, Israel, by me, your only helper.
Thou hast destroyed thyself, O Israel; for against me, against thy helper [didst thou rebel.]
10 I want to rule you! Where are your princes in your cities, those of whom you demanded, ‘Give me kings and princes.’
Where then is now thy king, that he may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges, since thou saidst, Give me a king, and princes?
11 I give you kings in my anger, and take them away in my wrath.
I give thee a king in my anger, and take him away in my wrath.
12 Ephrahn’s iniquity is gathered up, his sin is laid by in store.
Bound up is the iniquity of Ephraim, treasured up is his sin.
13 The pangs of childbirth come upon him, but he is an unwise child. For this is no time to refuse to leave the womb!
The pains of a travailing woman shall come upon him; he is an unwise son; for he will not remain steadfast at the time of the breaking forth of the child.
14 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)
From the power of the grave would I ransom them, from death would I redeem them; [but now] where are thy plagues, O death, where is thy pestilence, O grave? compassion shall be hidden from my eyes. (Sheol h7585)
15 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.
Though he grow luxuriantly in the green meadows, the east wind shall come, the wind of the Lord, rising up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: the same shall plunder the treasure of all precious vessels.
16 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.
Samaria shall meet her punishment; for she hath rebelled against her God: by the sword shall they fall; their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women shall be ripped up.
