Hosea 13

1 Once when Ephraim spake, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel; But he offended through Baal, and died.

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.

2 And now they sin more and more, And have made to themselves molten images; Of their silver by their skill have they made idols; All of it is the work of artificers. They say concerning them, Whoever will sacrifice, let him kiss the calves!

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.

3 Therefore shall they be as the morning cloud, And as the early dew, which passeth away; As chaff driven with a whirlwind from the thrashing-floor, And as smoke from the chimney.

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.

4 Yet I, Jehovah, have been thy God from the land of Egypt, And thou hast known no God but me; Yea, there was no saviour besides me.

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.

5 I cared for thee in the desert, In the land of great drought.

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

6 As they were fed, so they were filled; They were filled, and their heart was lifted up; Therefore they forgot me.

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

7 Therefore have I become to them as a lion; As a leopard I watch for them in the way;

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

8 I will meet them as a bear bereaved of her whelps, And I will rend the caul of their heart, And there will I devour them as a lioness; The wild beast shall tear them.

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.

9 It hath been thy destruction, O Israel, That against me, against thy help, thou hast rebelled!

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

10 Where is now thy king? Let him save thee in all thy cities! And where thy judges, In regard to whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes!

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.

11 I gave thee a king in mine anger, And I have taken him away in my wrath;

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

12 the iniquity of Ephraim is treasured up; His guilt is laid up in store.

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

13 The pangs of a travailing woman shall come upon him; He is an unwise son, For else would he not tarry long in the place of the breaking forth of children.

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.

14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death; O death, where is thy plague? O grave, where is thy destruction? Repentance is hidden from mine eyes. (Sheol h7585)

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)

15 Though he be fruitful among his brethren, An east wind shall come, A wind of Jehovah shall come up from the desert, And his spring shall become dry, And his fountain shall be dried up, And the treasure of all his pleasant vessels shall be spoiled.

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.

16 Samaria shall suffer for her guilt, For she hath 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.

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.