Hosea 13

1 [Previously], when [the leaders of] Israel spoke, the people trembled; those leaders were highly respected by the Israeli people. But the people sinned greatly by [worshiping] Baal, so now they will be killed [by their enemies].

“When Ephraim speaks tremblingly, He has been lifted up in Israel, When he becomes guilty in Ba‘al he dies.

2 Now they sin more and more; they make idols for themselves [and coat the idols] with their silver. Those idols are statues that are very cleverly made, but those statues are made by [mere] humans. But [the people are told], “Kiss those idols [that resemble a] calf, and offer sacrifices to them!”

And now they sin, And make for themselves a molten image of their silver, By their own understanding—idols, A work of artisans—all of it, Of them they say, who [are] sacrificers among men, The calves let them kiss.

3 Therefore, those people will [disappear quickly] like [SIM] the morning mist or the dew that lies [on the ground] early [in the morning]; [they will disappear] like [SIM] chaff that is blown away from where [the wheat] is threshed, like [SIM] smoke that goes out of a chimney.

Therefore they are as a cloud of the morning, And as dew, rising early, going away, As chaff tossed about out of a floor, And as smoke out of a window.

4 But [Yahweh says to his people], “I am Yahweh, your God, [the one who brought your ancestors] out of Egypt. You must believe that only I am God and that there is no other God, and that there is no one else who can save you!

And I [am] your God YHWH from the land of Egypt, And you do not know a God besides Me, And a Savior—there is none except Me.

5 I took care of your [ancestors when they were] in the desert, where it was extremely [hot and] dry.

I have known you in a wilderness, In a land of droughts.

6 When I provided food for them, their [stomachs] were full, and they were satisfied. But then they became proud and they forgot [about] me, [and you are like your ancestors]!

They are satiated according to their feedings, They have been satiated, And their heart is lifted up, Therefore they have forgotten Me,

7 So I will attack you like [SIM] a lion [attacks other animals]; I will be like [SIM] a leopard that waits beside the road [to attack another animal].

And I am to them as a lion, I look out as a leopard by the way.

8 Like [SIM] a female bear attacks anyone that steals her cubs, I will attack you Israelis and rip you open. I will completely destroy you like [SIM] lions or [other] wild animals tear apart the animals that they catch and devour them.

I meet them as a bereaved bear, And I tear the enclosure of their heart, And I consume them there as a lioness, A beast of the field tears them.

9 [You people of] Israel, you will be destroyed because you oppose me, the only one who (can help/helps) you.

You have destroyed yourself, O Israel, But in Me [is] your help;

10 You have a king; (why is he [unable to save you]?/but he is [unable to save you].) [RHQ] You have [RHQ] rulers in all your towns, but they are not helping you, [either]. Your [ancestors] said, ‘Appoint for us a king and [other] leaders [to rule over us] [like the other nations have]!’

Where [is] your king now—And he saves you in all your cities? And your judges of whom you said, Give a king and heads to me?

11 I was angry with them [for requesting that], but I appointed a king [to rule over] them. But [later] I became very angry with them [again], so I took their king away.

I give to you a king in My anger, And I take away in My wrath.

12 [I have written on a scroll] a record of the sins that have been committed by you people of Israel, and I have stored away that record.

Bound up [is] the iniquity of Ephraim, Hidden [is] his sin,

13 You people are not wise; and now [you are helpless]. You are like [MET] a woman who is having birth pains but who is unable to give birth to the baby.

Pangs of a travailing woman come to him, He [is] not a wise son, For he does not remain [at] the time for the breaking forth of sons.

14 I certainly will not [RHQ] save you from being killed and from going to the place where the dead people are. I will [RHQ] cause you to be afflicted by plagues and to die and be buried in graves. I will not be merciful [to you]. (Sheol h7585)

Will I ransom them from the hand of Sheol? Will I redeem them from death? Where [is] your plague, O death? Where your destruction, O Sheol? Comfort is hid from My eyes. (Sheol h7585)

15 Even if you people of Israel prosper more than the nearby nations do, [the army of Assyria] will come [like] [MET] an east wind that blows from the desert; the springs and wells in Israel will become dry; and [your enemies] will take away all your valuable possessions.

Though he produces fruit among brothers, An east wind comes in, a wind of YHWH, From a wilderness it is coming up, And it dries up his fountain, And his spring becomes dry, It—it spoils a treasure—every desirable vessel.

16 [You people of] Samaria must be punished because you have rebelled against [me], your God. You will be killed by [your enemies’] swords; your little children will be [killed by being] dashed/thrown to the ground; the [bellies of] women [among you] will be ripped open.”

Samaria becomes desolate, Because she has been rebellious against her God, They fall by sword, Their sucklings are dashed in pieces, And its pregnant ones are ripped up!”