Hosea 11-14

American Standard Version

11 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. ² The more the prophets called them, the more they went from them: they sacrificed unto the Baalim, and burned incense to graven images. ³ Yet I taught Ephraim to walk; ^[a]I took them on my arms; but they knew not that I healed them. ⁴ I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love; and I was to them as they that lift up the yoke on their jaws; and I laid food before them.

⁵ They shall not return into the land of Egypt; but the Assyrian shall be their king, because they refused to return to me. ⁶ And the sword shall ^[b]fall upon their cities, and shall consume their bars, and devour them, because of their own counsels. ⁷ And my people are bent on backsliding from me: though they call them to him that is on high, none at all will ^[c]exalt him.

⁸ How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I cast thee off, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboiim? my heart is turned within me, my compassions are kindled together. ⁹ I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee; and I will not ^[d]come in wrath. ¹⁰ They shall walk after Jehovah, who will roar like a lion; for he will roar, and the children shall come trembling from the west. ¹¹ They shall come trembling as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria; and I will make them to dwell in their houses, saith Jehovah.

¹² Ephraim compasseth me about with falsehood, and the house of Israel with deceit; ^[e]but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the Holy One. 12 ¹ Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he continually multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt. ² Jehovah hath also a controversy with Judah, and will ^[f]punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him. ³ In the womb he took his brother by the heel; and in his ^[g]manhood he ^[h]had power with God: ⁴ yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him at Beth-el, and there he spake with us, ^5 [i]even Jehovah, the God of hosts; Jehovah is his memorial name. ⁶ Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep kindness and justice, and wait for thy God continually.

^7 [j]He is ^[k]a trafficker, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to ^[l]oppress. ⁸ And Ephraim said, Surely I am become rich, I have found me wealth: in all my labors they shall find in me no iniquity that were sin. ⁹ But I am Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt; I will yet again make thee to dwell in tents, as in the days of the solemn feast. ¹⁰ I have also spoken unto the prophets, and I have multiplied visions; and ^[m]by the ministry of the prophets have I used similitudes. ¹¹ Is Gilead iniquity? they are altogether false; in Gilgal they sacrifice bullocks; yea, their altars ^[n]are as heaps in the furrows of the field. ¹² And Jacob fled into the field of Aram, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep. ¹³ And by a prophet Jehovah brought Israel up out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he ^[o]preserved. ¹⁴ Ephraim hath provoked to anger most bitterly: therefore shall his blood be left upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.

13 When Ephraim ^[p]spake, there was trembling; he exalted himself in Israel; but when he ^[q]offended in Baal, he died. ² And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, even idols according to their own understanding, all of them the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let ^[r]the men that sacrifice kiss the calves. ³ Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the dew that passeth early away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the threshing-floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

⁴ Yet I am Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt; and thou ^[s]shalt know no god but me, and besides me there is no saviour. ⁵ I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought. ⁶ According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted: therefore have they forgotten me. ⁷ Therefore am I unto them as a lion; as a leopard will I watch by the way; ⁸ I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart; and there will I devour them like a lioness; the wild beast shall tear them.

^9 [t]It is thy destruction, O Israel, ^[u]that thou art against me, against thy help. ¹⁰ Where now is thy king, that he may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges, of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? ¹¹ I have given thee a king in mine anger, and have taken him away in my wrath. ¹² The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is laid up in store. ¹³ The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; ^[v]for it is time he should not tarry in the place of the breaking forth of children. ¹⁴ I will ransom them from the ^[w]power of Sheol; I will redeem them from death: O death, ^[x]where are thy plagues? O Sheol, ^[y]where is thy destruction? repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

¹⁵ Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the ^[z]breath of Jehovah coming up from the wilderness; and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: ^[aa]he shall make spoil of the treasure of all goodly vessels. ¹⁶ Samaria shall ^[ab]bear 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.

14 O Israel, return unto Jehovah thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. ² Take with you words, and return unto Jehovah: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and ^[ac]accept that which is good: so will we render as bullocks the offering of our lips. ³ Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods; for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

⁴ I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him. ⁵ I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. ⁶ His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon. ⁷ They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the grain, and blossom as the vine: ^[ad]the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. ^8 [ae]Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have answered, and will regard him: I am like a green fir-tree; from me is thy fruit found. ⁹ Who is wise, that he may understand these things? prudent, that he may know them? for the ways of Jehovah are right, and the just shall walk in them; but transgressors shall fall therein.