Hosea 13

1 When Ephraim spoke trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.

When Ephraim speaketh tremblingly, He hath been lifted up in Israel, When he becometh guilty in Baal he dieth.

2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.

And now do they add to sin, And make to them a molten image of their silver, By their own understanding — idols, A work of artisans — all of it, Of them they say, who [are] sacrificers among men, 'The calves let them kiss.'

3 Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud and as the early dew that passes away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

Therefore they are as a cloud of the morning, And as dew, rising early, going away, As chaff tossed about out of a floor, And as smoke out of a window.

4 Yet I am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt, and you shall know no god but me: for there is no savior beside me.

And I [am] Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt, And a God besides Me thou dost not know, And a Saviour — there is none save Me.

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

I — I have known thee in a wilderness, In a land of droughts.

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

According to their feedings they are satiated, They have been satiated, And their heart is lifted up, Therefore they have forgotten Me,

7 Therefore I will be to them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them:

And I am to them as a lion, As a leopard by the way I look out.

8 I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the lobe of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.

I do meet them as a bereaved bear, And I rend the enclosure of their heart.

9 O Israel, you have destroyed yourself; but in me is your help.

And I consume them there as a lioness, A beast of the field doth rend them.

10 I will be your king: where is any other that may save you in all your cities? and your judges of whom you said, Give me a king and princes?

Thou hast destroyed thyself, O Israel, But in Me [is] thy help, Where [is] thy king now — And he doth save thee in all thy cities? And thy judges of whom thou didst say, 'Give to me a king and heads?'

11 I gave you a king in my anger, and took him away in my wrath.

I give to thee a king in Mine anger, And I take away in My wrath.

12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid.

Bound up [is] the iniquity of Ephraim, Hidden [is] his sin,

13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come on him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.

Pangs of a travailing woman come to him, He [is] a son not wise, For he remaineth not the time for the breaking forth of sons.

14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be your plagues; O grave, I will be your destruction: repentance shall be hid from my eyes. (Sheol h7585)

From the hand of Sheol I do ransom them, From death I redeem them, Where [is] thy plague, O death? Where thy destruction, O Sheol? Repentance is hid from Mine eyes. (Sheol h7585)

15 Though he be fruitful among his brothers, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.

Though he among brethren produceth fruit, Come in doth an east wind, a wind of Jehovah, From a wilderness it is coming up, And it drieth up his fountain, And become dry doth his spring, It — it spoileth a treasure — every desirable vessel.

16 Samaria shall become desolate; for she has rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.

Become desolate doth Samaria, Because she hath rebelled against her God, By sword they do fall, Their sucklings are dashed in pieces, And its pregnant ones are ripped up!