Hosea 13
1 While Ephraim was speaking, a horror entered Israel, and he offended by Baal, and he died.
When Ephraim used to speak there was trembling; a prince was he in Israel. But he incurred guilt through Baal and died.
2 And now they add that they will be sinning more. And they have made themselves an image cast from their silver, just like the image of idols; but the whole thing has been made by craftsmen. These say to them, “Sacrifice men, you who adore calves.”
And now they go on sinning. They make for themselves molten gods – idols of silver, skillfully made, wholly the work of smiths. Yet to such they sacrifice! And they who sacrifice kiss calf idols!
3 For this reason, they will be like the morning clouds, and like the morning dew that passes away, just like the dust that is driven by a whirlwind away from the threshing floor, and like the smoke from a chimney.
Therefore they shall be like the morning mist, like the dew that early disappears, like the chaff which blows away from the threshing floor, like the smoke from the window.
4 But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt, and you will not know God apart from me, and there is no Savior except me.
Yet it was I, the Lord your God, ever since the land of Egypt, you know no other god but me, nor has there been any savior except me.
5 I knew you in the desert, in the land of solitude.
It was I who shepherded you in the wilderness, in the land of burning heat.
6 According to their pastures, they have been filled up and have been satisfied. And they have lifted up their heart, and they have forgotten me.
When they were pastured they became full, when they were full their hearts became proud. Therefore they forgot me!
7 And I will be to them like a lioness, like a leopard in the way of the Assyrians.
So now I will be to them like a lion, like a leopard will I lay in wait by the path.
8 I will run to meet them like a bear that has been robbed of her young, and I will split open the middle of their liver. And I will devour them there like a lion; the beast of the field will tear them apart.
I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will tear open their chests, like a lion will devour them, and like a wild beast will tear them in pieces.
9 Perdition is yours, Israel. Your help is only in me.
You are destroyed, Israel, by me, your only helper.
10 Where is your king? Now, especially, let him save you in all your cities, and from your judges, about whom you said, “Give me kings and princes.”
I want to rule you! Where are your princes in your cities, those of whom you demanded, “Give me kings and princes.”
11 I will give you a king in my wrath, and I will take him away in my indignation.
I give you kings in my anger, and take them away in my wrath.
12 The iniquity of Ephraim has been bound; his sin has been engulfed.
Ephrahn’s iniquity is gathered up, his sin is laid by in store.
13 The pains of giving birth will reach him. He is an unwise son. For now he will not remain firm during the contrition of his sons.
The pangs of childbirth come upon him, but he is an unwise child. For this is no time to refuse to leave the womb!
14 I will free them from the hand of death; from death I will redeem them. Death, I will be your death. Hell, I will be your deadly wound. Consolation is hidden from my eyes. (Sheol h7585)
Should I deliver them from the power of Sheol? Should I redeem them from death? Death, where are your plagues? Sheol, where is your pestilence? Compassion is forever hidden from my eyes. (Sheol h7585)
15 For he will make a division among brothers. The Lord will bring a burning wind, rising up from the desert, and it will dry up his streams, and it will make his fountain desolate, and he will tear apart every collection of desirable useful things.
Though he is flourishing among his brothers, there will come an east wind, the Lord’s wind, coming up from the wilderness. His fountain will dry up, his spring shall be parched. The wind will strip the treasury, all the precious things.
16 Let Samaria perish, because she has urged her God towards bitterness. Let them perish by the sword, let their little ones be thrown down, and let their pregnant women be cut in two.
Samaria will bear her guilt, for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword, their children dashed to pieces, their pregnant women ripped open.
