Hosea 13

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

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

2 And 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, Let the men who sacrifice 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 shall be as the morning cloud, and as the dew that passes away early, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the threshing-floor, and as 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 Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shall know 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 thee 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 they were 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 to them as a lion. As a leopard I will watch by the way.

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

8 I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart. And there I will devour them like a lioness. The wild beast shall 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 It is thy destruction, O Israel, that thou are against me, against thy help.

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

10 Where now is thy king, that he may save thee in all thy cities, and thy judges, of whom thou said, Give me a king and rulers?

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 thee 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 iniquity of Ephraim is bound up. His sin is laid up in store.

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

13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him. He is an unwise son, for it is time he should not tarry in the place of the breaking forth of sons.

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. I will redeem them from death. O death, where are thy plagues? O Sheol, where is thy sting? Repentance shall be hid from my eyes. (Sheol h7585)

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 be fruitful among his brothers, an east wind shall come, the breath of Jehovah coming up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up. He shall make spoil of the treasure of all goodly vessels.

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 shall bear her guilt, 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.

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.