Hosea 13

1 When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling. He exalted himself in Israel, but when he became guilty through Baal, he died.

When Ephraim spoke, a horror seized Israel: and he sinned in Baal and died.

2 Now they sin more and more, and have made themselves molten images of their silver, even idols according to their own understanding, all of them the work of the craftsmen. They say of them, ‘They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calves.’

And now they have sinned more and more: and they have made to themselves a molten thing of their silver as the likeness of idols: the whole is the work of craftsmen: to these that say: Sacrifice men, ye that adore calves.

3 Therefore they will be like the morning mist, like the dew that passes away early, like the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the threshing floor, and like the smoke out of the chimney.

Therefore they shall be as a morning aloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the dust that is driven with a whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

4 “Yet I am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt; and you shall acknowledge no god but me, and besides me there is no savior.

But I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt: and thou shalt know no God but me, and there is no saviour beside me.

5 I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.

I knew thee in the desert, in the land of the wilderness.

6 According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted. Therefore they have forgotten me.

According to their pastures they were filled, and were made full: and they lifted up their heart, and have forgotten me.

7 Therefore I am like a lion to them. Like a leopard, I will lurk by the path.

And I will be to them as a lioness, as a leopard in the way of the Assyrians.

8 I will meet them like a bear that is bereaved of her cubs, and will tear the covering of their heart. There I will devour them like a lioness. The wild animal will tear them.

I will meet them as a bear that is robbed of her whelps, and I will rend the inner parts of their liver: and I will devour them there as a lion, the beast of the field shall tear them.

9 You are destroyed, Israel, because you are against me, against your helper.

Destruction is thy own, O Israel: thy help is only in me.

10 Where is your king now, that he may save you in all your cities? And your judges, of whom you said, ‘Give me a king and princes’?

Where is thy king? now especially let him save thee in all thy cities: and thy judges, of whom thou saidst: Give me kings and princes.

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

I will give thee a king in my wrath, and will take him away in my indignation.

12 The guilt of Ephraim is stored up. His sin is stored up.

The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up, his sin is hidden.

13 The sorrows of a travailing woman will come on him. He is an unwise son, for when it is time, he does not come to the opening of the womb.

The sorrows of a woman in labour snail come upon him, he is an unwise son: for now he shall not stand in the breach of the children.

14 I will ransom them from the power of Sheol (Sheol h7585). I will redeem them from death! Death, where are your plagues? Sheol (Sheol h7585), where is your destruction? "Compassion will be hidden from my eyes.

I will deliver them out of the hand of death. I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy death; O hell, I will be thy bite: comfort is hidden from my eyes. (Sheol h7585)

15 Though he is fruitful among his brothers, an east wind will come, the breath of the LORD coming up from the wilderness; and his spring will become dry, and his fountain will be dried up. He will plunder the storehouse of treasure.

Because he shall make a separation between brothers: the Lord will bring a burning wind that shall rise from the desert, and it shall dry up his springs, and shall make his fountain desolate, and he shall carry off the treasure of every desirable vessel.

16 Samaria will bear her guilt, for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword. Their infants will be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women will be ripped open.”

Let Samaria perish, because she hath stirred up her God to bitterness: let them perish by the sword, let their little ones be dashed, and let the women with child be ripped up.