Hosea 13

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

When Ephraim spake, there was trembling; he exalted himself in Israel: but when he offended in Baal, he died.

2 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.

And now they sin more and more, and have made them 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 that sacrifice kiss the calves.

3 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.

Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the dew that passeth early away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the threshing-floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

4 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.

Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt; and thou shalt know no god but me, and beside me there is no saviour.

5 I knew thee in the desert, in the land of the wilderness.

I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.

6 According to their pastures they were filled, and were made full: and they lifted up their heart, and have forgotten me.

According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted: therefore have they forgotten me.

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

Therefore am I unto them as a lion: as a leopard will I watch by the way:

8 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.

I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart: and there will I devour them like a lion; the wild beast shall tear them.

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

It is thy destruction, O Israel, that [thou art] against me, against thy help.

10 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.

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

11 I will give thee a king in my wrath, and will take him away in my indignation.

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

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

The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is laid up in store.

13 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.

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 children.

14 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)

I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, where are thy plagues? O grave, where is thy destruction? repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. (Sheol h7585)

15 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.

Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the breath of the LORD coming up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.

16 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.

Samaria shall bear 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.