Hosea 13

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

According to the word of Ephraim he adopted ordinances for himself in Israel; and he established them for 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 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 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 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 “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 your God that establishes the heaven, and creates the earth, whose hands have framed the whole host of heaven: but I showed them not to you that you should go after them: and I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and you shall 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 tended you as a shepherd in the wilderness, in an uninhabited land.

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, so they were completely filled; and their hearts were exalted; therefore they forgot 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 panther, and as a leopard.

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

O Israel, who will aid [you] in your destruction?

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 this your king? let him even save you in all your cities: let him judge you, of whom you said, Give me a king and a prince.

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

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

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

Ephraim [has framed] a conspiracy of unrighteousness, 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 doesn’t come to the opening of the womb.

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

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

I will deliver [them] out of the power of Hades, and will redeem them from death: where is your penalty, O death? O Hades, where is your sting? comfort is hidden from mine 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.

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 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.”

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.