Hosea 13
1 Once when Ephraim spake, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel; But he offended through Baal, and died.
According to the word of Ephraim he adopted ordinances for himself in Israel; and he established them for Baal, and died.
2 And now they sin more and more, And have made to themselves molten images; Of their silver by their skill have they made idols; All of it is the work of artificers. They say concerning them, Whoever will sacrifice, let him kiss the calves!
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.
3 Therefore shall they be as the morning cloud, And as the early dew, which passeth away; As chaff driven with a whirlwind from the thrashing-floor, And as smoke from the chimney.
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.
4 Yet I, Jehovah, have been thy God from the land of Egypt, And thou hast known no God but me; Yea, there was no saviour besides me.
But I am the Lord thy God that establishes the heaven, and creates the earth, whose hands have framed the whole host of heaven: but I shewed them not to thee that thou shouldest go after them: and I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no God but me; and there is no Saviour beside me.
5 I cared for thee in the desert, In the land of great drought.
I tended thee as a shepherd in the wilderness, in an uninhabited land.
6 As they were fed, so they were filled; They were filled, and their heart was lifted up; Therefore they forgot me.
According to their pastures, so they were completely filled; and their hearts were exalted; therefore they forgot me.
7 Therefore have I become to them as a lion; As a leopard I watch for them in the way;
And I will be to them as a panther, and as a leopard.
8 I will meet them as a bear bereaved of her whelps, And I will rend the caul of their heart, And there will I devour them as a lioness; The wild beast shall tear them.
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.
9 It hath been thy destruction, O Israel, That against me, against thy help, thou hast rebelled!
O Israel, who will aid [thee] in thy destruction?
10 Where is now thy king? Let him save thee in all thy cities! And where thy judges, In regard to whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes!
Where is this thy king? let him even save thee in all thy cities: let him judge thee, of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and a prince.
11 I gave thee a king in mine anger, And I have taken him away in my wrath;
And I gave thee a king in mine anger, and kept [him] back in my wrath.
12 the iniquity of Ephraim is treasured up; His guilt is laid up in store.
Ephraim [has framed] a conspiracy of unrighteousness, his sin is hidden.
13 The pangs of a travailing woman shall come upon him; He is an unwise son, For else would he not tarry long in the place of the breaking forth of children.
Pains as of a woman in travail shall come upon him: he is thy wise son, because he shall not stay in the destruction of [thy] children.
14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death; O death, where is thy plague? O grave, where is thy destruction? Repentance is hidden from mine eyes. (Sheol h7585)
I will deliver [them] out of the power of Hades, and will redeem them from death: where is thy penalty, O death? O Hades, where is thy sting? comfort is hidden from mine eyes. (Sheol h7585)
15 Though he be fruitful among his brethren, An east wind shall come, A wind of Jehovah shall come up from the desert, And his spring shall become dry, And his fountain shall be dried up, And the treasure of all his pleasant vessels shall be spoiled.
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.
16 Samaria shall suffer for 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.
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.
