Osee 13

1 According to the word of Ephraim he adopted ordinances for himself in Israel; and he established them for Baal, and died.

When once Ephraim spoke, [all] trembled, so high was he exalted in Israel; but he offended through Ba'al, and he died.

2 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.

And now they yet continue to sin, and have made themselves molten images of their silver, idols according to their own imagining, every one of them the work of the artisan: they say to them, They that sacrifice men may kiss the calves.

3 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.

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

4 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.

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

5 I tended you as a shepherd in the wilderness, in an uninhabited land.

I myself did provide for thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.

6 According to their pastures, so they were completely filled; and their hearts were exalted; therefore they forgot me.

When they came to their pasture, they became sated; they were sated, and their heart was lifted up: therefore have they forgotten me.

7 And I will be to them as a panther, and as a leopard.

And now I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard will I lie in wait by the way.

8 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.

I will meet them as a bear bereaved of her whelps, and I will rend their closed-up heart; and I will devour them there like a lioness, the beasts of the field shall rend them.

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

Thou hast destroyed thyself, O Israel; for against me, against thy helper [didst thou rebel.]

10 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.

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

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

I give thee a king in my anger, and take him away in my wrath.

12 Ephraim [has framed] a conspiracy of unrighteousness, his sin is hidden.

Bound up is the iniquity of Ephraim, treasured up is his sin.

13 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.

The pains of a travailing woman shall come upon him; he is an unwise son; for he will not remain steadfast at the time of the breaking forth of the child.

14 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)

From the power of the grave would I ransom them, from death would I redeem them; [but now] where are thy plagues, O death, where is thy pestilence, O grave? compassion shall be hidden from my eyes. (Sheol h7585)

15 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.

Though he grow luxuriantly in the green meadows, the east wind shall come, the wind of the Lord, rising up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: the same shall plunder the treasure of all precious vessels.

16 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.

Samaria shall meet her punishment; for she hath rebelled against her God: by the sword shall they fall; their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women shall be ripped up.