Hosea 13

1 When Ephraim speaketh tremblingly, He hath been lifted up in Israel, When he becometh guilty in Baal he dieth.

[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].

2 And now do they add to sin, And make to them 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.'

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!”

3 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.

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.

4 And I [am] Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt, And a God besides Me thou dost not know, And a Saviour — there is none save Me.

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!

5 I — I have known thee in a wilderness, In a land of droughts.

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

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

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]!

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

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].

8 I do meet them as a bereaved bear, And I rend the enclosure of their heart.

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.

9 And I consume them there as a lioness, A beast of the field doth rend them.

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

10 Thou hast destroyed thyself, O Israel, But in Me [is] thy help, Where [is] thy king now — And he doth save thee in all thy cities? And thy judges of whom thou didst say, 'Give to me a king and heads?'

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]!’

11 I give to thee a king in Mine anger, And I take away in My wrath.

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.

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

[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.

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

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.

14 From the hand of Sheol I do ransom them, From death I redeem them, Where [is] thy plague, O death? Where thy destruction, O Sheol? Repentance is hid from Mine eyes. (Sheol h7585)

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)

15 Though he among brethren produceth fruit, Come in doth an east wind, a wind of Jehovah, From a wilderness it is coming up, And it drieth up his fountain, And become dry doth his spring, It — it spoileth a treasure — every desirable vessel.

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.

16 Become desolate doth Samaria, Because she hath rebelled against her God, By sword they do fall, Their sucklings are dashed in pieces, And its pregnant ones are ripped up!

[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.”