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, they were feared, for they were the leading tribe in Israel. But when they were guilty of Baal worship, they 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.

Now they constantly sin, making for themselves idols from molten metal. All of these idols are skillfully made from silver by their craftsmen. “Offer sacrifices to these idols,” say the people. “Kiss the bull calf idols.”

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.

Consequently they will be like the morning mist, like early morning dew, like chaff blowing away from the threshing floor, like smoke from a 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.

Yet I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. You shall know no other gods but me. None can save you except me.

5 I knew thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.

I looked after you in the wilderness; in that dry desert land it was like pasture to them

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

and they were satisfied. But when they were satisfied they became arrogant, and they forgot me.

7 Therefore I am to them as a lion. As a leopard I will watch by the way.

So I will be like a lion to them, like a leopard I will lie in wait beside the path.

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 be like a mother bear whose cubs have been taken, I will rip out their hearts. I shall devour them like a lion, like a wild beast I will tear them apart.

9 It is thy destruction, O Israel, that thou are against me, against thy help.

You have destroyed yourselves, Israel, for your only help is 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 then is your king? Let him save you in all your cities! Where are your leaders who demanded a king and princes from me?

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

In my anger I give you a king, and in my fury I take one.

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

Ephraim's guilt is packed up; their sin will be eradicated.

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 pain of childbirth has come to them, trying to give birth to a son who is not “wise” because he is not in the right position when the time comes.

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 shall redeem them from the power of Sheol; I shall deliver them from death. Where, death, are your plagues? Where, Sheol, is your destruction? Compassion is hidden from my sight. (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.

Even though they flourish among the reeds, an east wind will come, a wind from the Lord that rises in the desert will dry up their springs and their wells will fail. It will rob from their treasury everything of value.

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.

Samaria will have to bear the consequences of their guilt, because they rebelled against her God. They will be slaughtered by the sword; their children will be dashed to the ground; their pregnant women will be ripped open.