הוֹשֵׁעַ 13

1 כְּדַבֵּ֤ר אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ רְתֵ֔ת נָשָׂ֥א ה֖וּא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֶּאְשַׁ֥ם בַּבַּ֖עַל וַיָּמֹֽת׃

When Ephraim used to speak there was trembling; a prince was he in Israel. But he incurred guilt through Baal and died.

2 וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ יֹוסִ֣פוּ לַחֲטֹ֗א וַיַּעְשׂ֣וּ לָהֶם֩ מַסֵּכָ֨ה מִכַּסְפָּ֤ם כִּתְבוּנָם֙ עֲצַבִּ֔ים מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה חָרָשִׁ֖ים כֻּלֹּ֑ה לָהֶם֙ הֵ֣ם אֹמְרִ֔ים זֹבְחֵ֣י אָדָ֔ם עֲגָלִ֖ים יִשָּׁקֽוּן׃

And now they go on sinning. They make for themselves molten gods – idols of silver, skillfully made, wholly the work of smiths. Yet to such they sacrifice! And they who sacrifice kiss calf idols!

3 לָכֵ֗ן יִֽהְיוּ֙ כַּעֲנַן־בֹּ֔קֶר וְכַטַּ֖ל מַשְׁכִּ֣ים הֹלֵ֑ךְ כְּמֹץ֙ יְסֹעֵ֣ר מִגֹּ֔רֶן וּכְעָשָׁ֖ן מֵאֲרֻבָּֽה׃

Therefore they shall be like the morning mist, like the dew that early disappears, like the chaff which blows away from the threshing floor, like the smoke from the window.

4 וְאָנֹכִ֛י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וֵאלֹהִ֤ים זֽוּלָתִי֙ לֹ֣א תֵדָ֔ע וּמֹושִׁ֥יעַ אַ֖יִן בִּלְתִּֽי׃

Yet it was I, the Lord your God, ever since the land of Egypt, you know no other god but me, nor has there been any savior except me.

5 אֲנִ֥י יְדַעְתִּ֖יךָ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר בְּאֶ֖רֶץ תַּלְאֻבֹֽות׃

It was I who shepherded you in the wilderness, in the land of burning heat.

6 כְּמַרְעִיתָם֙ וַיִּשְׂבָּ֔עוּ שָׂבְע֖וּ וַיָּ֣רָם לִבָּ֑ם עַל־כֵּ֖ן שְׁכֵחֽוּנִי׃

When they were pastured they became full, when they were full their hearts became proud. Therefore they forgot me!

7 וָאֱהִ֥י לָהֶ֖ם כְּמֹו־שָׁ֑חַל כְּנָמֵ֖ר עַל־דֶּ֥רֶךְ אָשֽׁוּר׃

So now I will be to them like a lion, like a leopard will I lay in wait by the path.

8 אֶפְגְּשֵׁם֙ כְּדֹ֣ב שַׁכּ֔וּל וְאֶקְרַ֖ע סְגֹ֣ור לִבָּ֑ם וְאֹכְלֵ֥ם שָׁם֙ כְּלָבִ֔יא חַיַּ֥ת הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה תְּבַקְּעֵֽם׃

I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will tear open their chests, like a lion will devour them, and like a wild beast will tear them in pieces.

9 שִֽׁחֶתְךָ֥ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כִּֽי־בִ֥י בְעֶזְרֶֽךָ׃

You are destroyed, Israel, by me, your only helper.

10 אֱהִ֤י מַלְכְּךָ֙ אֵפֹ֔וא וְיֹושִֽׁיעֲךָ֖ בְּכָל־עָרֶ֑יךָ וְשֹׁ֣פְטֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֔רְתָּ תְּנָה־לִּ֖י מֶ֥לֶךְ וְשָׂרִֽים׃

I want to rule you! Where are your princes in your cities, those of whom you demanded, “Give me kings and princes.”

11 אֶֽתֶּן־לְךָ֥ מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ בְּאַפִּ֔י וְאֶקַּ֖ח בְּעֶבְרָתִֽי׃ ס

I give you kings in my anger, and take them away in my wrath.

12 צָרוּר֙ עֲוֹ֣ן אֶפְרָ֔יִם צְפוּנָ֖ה חַטָּאתֹֽו׃

Ephrahn’s iniquity is gathered up, his sin is laid by in store.

13 חֶבְלֵ֥י יֹֽולֵדָ֖ה יָבֹ֣אוּ לֹ֑ו הוּא־בֵן֙ לֹ֣א חָכָ֔ם כִּֽי־עֵ֥ת לֹֽא־יַעֲמֹ֖ד בְּמִשְׁבַּ֥ר בָּנִֽים׃

The pangs of childbirth come upon him, but he is an unwise child. For this is no time to refuse to leave the womb!

14 מִיַּ֤ד שְׁאֹול֙ אֶפְדֵּ֔ם מִמָּ֖וֶת אֶגְאָלֵ֑ם אֱהִ֨י דְבָרֶיךָ֜ מָ֗וֶת אֱהִ֤י קָֽטָבְךָ֙ שְׁאֹ֔ול נֹ֖חַם יִסָּתֵ֥ר מֵעֵינָֽי׃ (Sheol h7585)

Should I deliver them from the power of Sheol? Should I redeem them from death? Death, where are your plagues? Sheol, where is your pestilence? Compassion is forever hidden from my eyes. (Sheol h7585)

15 כִּ֣י ה֔וּא בֵּ֥ן אַחִ֖ים יַפְרִ֑יא יָבֹ֣וא קָדִים֩ ר֨וּחַ יְהוָ֜ה מִמִּדְבָּ֣ר עֹלֶ֗ה וְיֵבֹ֤ושׁ מְקֹורֹו֙ וְיֶחֱרַ֣ב מַעְיָנֹ֔ו ה֣וּא יִשְׁסֶ֔ה אֹוצַ֖ר כָּל־כְּלִ֥י חֶמְדָּֽה׃

Though he is flourishing among his brothers, there will come an east wind, the Lord’s wind, coming up from the wilderness. His fountain will dry up, his spring shall be parched. The wind will strip the treasury, all the precious things.

16 תֶּאְשַׁם֙ שֹֽׁמְרֹ֔ון כִּ֥י מָרְתָ֖ה בֵּֽאלֹהֶ֑יהָ בַּחֶ֣רֶב יִפֹּ֔לוּ עֹלְלֵיהֶ֣ם יְרֻטָּ֔שׁוּ וְהָרִיֹּותָ֖יו יְבֻקָּֽעוּ׃ פ

Samaria will bear her guilt, for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword, their children dashed to pieces, their pregnant women ripped open.