Hosea 13

1 While Ephraim was speaking, a horror entered Israel, and he offended by Baal, and he died.

According to the word of Ephraim he adopted ordinances for himself in Israel; and he established them for Baal, and died.

2 And now they add that they will be sinning more. And they have made themselves an image cast from their silver, just like the image of idols; but the whole thing has been made by craftsmen. These say to them, “Sacrifice men, you who adore calves.”

And now they have sinned increasingly, and have made for themselves a molten image of their silver, according to the fashion of idols, the work of artificers accomplished for them: they say, Sacrifice men, for the calves have come to an end.

3 For this reason, they will be like the morning clouds, and like the morning dew that passes away, just like the dust that is driven by a whirlwind away from the threshing floor, and like the smoke from a chimney.

Therefore shall they be as a morning cloud, and as the early dew that passes away, as chaff blown away from the threshing-floor, and as a vapor from tears.

4 But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt, and you will not know God apart from me, and there is no Savior except me.

But I am the Lord thy God that establishes the heaven, and creates the earth, whose hands have framed the whole host of heaven: but I shewed them not to thee that thou shouldest go after them: and I brought thee up out of 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 desert, in the land of solitude.

I tended thee as a shepherd in the wilderness, in an uninhabited land.

6 According to their pastures, they have been filled up and have been satisfied. And they have lifted up their heart, and they have forgotten me.

According to their pastures, so they were completely filled; and their hearts were exalted; therefore they forgot me.

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

And I will be to them as a panther, and as a leopard.

8 I will run to meet them like a bear that has been robbed of her young, and I will split open the middle of their liver. And I will devour them there like a lion; the beast of the field will tear them apart.

I will meet them by the way of the Assyrians, as a she-bear excited, and I will rend the caul of their heart, and the lions' whelps of the thicket shall devour them there; the wild beasts of the field shall rend them in pieces.

9 Perdition is yours, Israel. Your help is only in me.

O Israel, who will aid [thee] in thy destruction?

10 Where is your king? Now, especially, let him save you in all your cities, and from your judges, about whom you said, “Give me kings and princes.”

Where is this thy king? let him even save thee in all thy cities: let him judge thee, of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and a prince.

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

And I gave thee a king in mine anger, and kept [him] back in my wrath.

12 The iniquity of Ephraim has been bound; his sin has been engulfed.

Ephraim [has framed] a conspiracy of unrighteousness, his sin is hidden.

13 The pains of giving birth will reach him. He is an unwise son. For now he will not remain firm during the contrition of his sons.

Pains as of a woman in travail shall come upon him: he is thy wise son, because he shall not stay in the destruction of [thy] children.

14 I will free them from the hand of death; from death I will redeem them. Death, I will be your death. Hell, I will be your deadly wound. Consolation is hidden from my eyes. (Sheol h7585)

I will deliver [them] out of the power of Hades, and will redeem them from death: where is thy penalty, O death? O Hades, where is thy sting? comfort is hidden from mine eyes. (Sheol h7585)

15 For he will make a division among brothers. The Lord will bring a burning wind, rising up from the desert, and it will dry up his streams, and it will make his fountain desolate, and he will tear apart every collection of desirable useful things.

Forasmuch as he will cause a division among [his] brethren, the Lord shall bring upon him an east wind from the desert, and shall dry up his veins [and] quite drain his fountains: he shall dry up his land, and [spoil] all his precious vessels.

16 Let Samaria perish, because she has urged her God towards bitterness. Let them perish by the sword, let their little ones be thrown down, and let their pregnant women be cut in two.

Samaria shall be utterly destroyed: for she has resisted her God; they shall fall by the sword, and their sucklings shall be dashed against the ground, and their women with child ripped up.