Hosea 13
1 “When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling. He exalted himself in Israel, but he became guilty because of Baal worship, and he died.
When Ephraim, spake, there was terror, exalted was, he, in Israel, —but, when he became guilty with Baal, then he died.
2 Now they sin more and more. They make cast metal figures from their silver, idols as skillfully worked as possible, all of them the work of the craftsmen. People say of them, 'These men who sacrifice kiss calves.'
Now, therefore they go on to sin, and have made them a Molten Thing out of their silver, after the notion of idols, the workmanship of craftsmen, all of it! Of them, are they saying—Ye sacrificers of men! The Great Calf, shall ye surely kiss!
3 So they will be like the morning clouds, like the dew that goes away early, like the chaff that is driven by the wind away from a threshing floor, and like smoke out of a chimney.
Therefore, shall they become like the morning cloud, and like the dew early departing, —like chaff storm-driven out of the threshing-floor, and like smoke out of a chimney.
4 But I am Yahweh your God from the land of Egypt. You must acknowledge no God but me; you must acknowledge that besides me, there is no other savior.
Yet, I, Yahweh, have been thy God from the land of Egypt, —and, god beside me, shalt thou not acknowledge, for, saviour, is there none besides me.
5 I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of great dryness.
I, tended thee in the desert, —in a land parched with drought:
6 When you had pasture, then you became full; and when you were filled, your heart became lifted up. For that reason you forgot me.
Whenever they were pastured, then were they satisfied, They were satisfied, and their heart, was lifted up, —because of this, they forgat me.
7 I will become like a lion to them; like a leopard I will watch along the path.
Therefore am I become to them as a lion, —As a leopard by the way, do I watch.
8 I will attack them as a bear that is robbed of her cubs. I will rip open their chests, and there I will devour them as a lion, as a wild beast would tear them to pieces.
I will fall upon them as a bear bereaved, and will read asunder the enclosure of their heart, —that I may devour them there, like a lioness, the wild beast of the field, shall tear them in pieces.
9 I will destroy you, Israel; who will be able to help you?
It hath utterly destroyed thee, O Israel, for it was against me, as thy helper!
10 Where now is your king, that he may save you in all your cities? Where are your rulers, about whom you said to me, 'Give me a king and princes'?
Where is thy king, then, that he may save thee throughout all thy cities? and thy judges, concerning whom thou saidst, Oh give me a king and rulers?
11 I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him away in my wrath.
I might give thee a king in mine anger, and take him away in my wrath.
12 Ephraim's iniquity has been stored up; his guilt has been stored up.
Bound up, is the iniquity of Ephraim, stored away, his sin.
13 Pains of childbirth will come on him, but he is an unwise son, for when it is time to be born, he does not come out of the womb.
The pangs of a woman in labour, shall overtake him, —he, is a son, not wise, for, now, he cannot stand still, when children are about to be born.
14 Will I rescue them from the hand of Sheol? Will I rescue them from death? Where, death, are your plagues? Where, Sheol, is your destruction? Compassion is hidden from my eyes.” (Sheol h7585)
Out of the hand of hades, will I ransom them, out of death, will I redeem them, —Where is thy pestilence, O death? Where thy plague, O hades? Repentance, shall be hid from mine eyes. (Sheol h7585)
15 Though Ephraim is prosperous among his brothers, an east wind will come; the wind of Yahweh will blow in from the wilderness. Ephraim's spring will dry up, and his well will have no water. His enemy will plunder his storehouse of every precious object.
Though, he, among brethren, be fruitful, there shall come in an east wind, the blast of Yahweh out of the desert coming up, that his spring, may dry up, and his fountain, be exhausted, he, will rob the treasure-house of all the vessels of delight.
16 Samaria will be guilty, for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their young children will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women will be ripped open.
Samaria, shall be held guilty, for she hath rebelled against her God, By the sword, shall they fall, their infants, shall be dashed to the ground, and, his women with child, shall be ripped up.
