Hosea 12-14
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 12
Infidelity of Israel[a]
1 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,
the house of Israel, with deceit;
Judah still wanders about with gods,
and is faithful to holy ones.[b]
2 [c]Ephraim shepherds the wind,
and pursues the east wind all day long.
He multiplies lies and violence:
They make a covenant with Assyria,
and oil is carried to Egypt.
3 The Lord has a dispute with Judah,
and will punish Jacob[d] for his conduct,
and repay him for his deeds.
4 In the womb he supplanted his brother,(A)
and in his vigor he contended with a divine being;
5 He contended with an angel and prevailed,(B)
he wept and entreated him.
At Bethel he met with him,
and there he spoke with him.(C)
6 The Lord is the God of hosts,
the Lord is his name!(D)
7 You must return to your God.
Maintain loyalty and justice
and always hope in your God.
8 A merchant who holds a false balance,
he loves to extort!
9 Ephraim has said,
“How rich I have become;
I have made a fortune!”(E)
All his gain will not suffice
for the guilt of his sin.
10 I the Lord have been your God,
since the land of Egypt;(F)
I will again have you live in tents,
as on feast days.
11 I spoke to the prophets,
I granted many visions,(G)
and through the prophets I told parables.
12 In Gilead is falsehood, they have come to nothing;
in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls,
But their altars are like heaps of stones(H)
in the furrows of the field.
13 Jacob fled to the land of Aram,
and Israel served for a wife;
for a wife he tended sheep.(I)
14 But by a prophet[e] the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt,
and by a prophet Israel was tended.(J)
15 Ephraim has aroused bitter anger,
so his Lord shall cast his bloodguilt upon him
and repay him for his scorn.
Chapter 13
The Death of Ephraim
1 When Ephraim spoke there was terror;
he was exalted in Israel;[f]
but he became guilty through Baal and died.
2 Now they continue to sin,
making for themselves molten images,
Silver idols according to their skill,(K)
all of them the work of artisans.
“To these, offer sacrifice,” they say.
People kiss calves
3 Therefore, they will be like a morning cloud
or like the dew that vanishes with the dawn,
Like chaff storm-driven from the threshing floor(M)
or like smoke out of the window.
4 I, the Lord, am your God,
since the land of Egypt;[h](N)
Gods apart from me you do not know;
there is no savior but me.(O)
5 I fed you in the wilderness,
in the parched land.
6 When I fed them, they were satisfied;
when satisfied, they became proud,
therefore they forgot me.
7 So, I will be like a lion to them,
like a leopard by the road I will keep watch.
8 (P)I will attack them like a bear robbed of its young,
and tear their hearts from their breasts;
I will devour them on the spot like a lion,
as a wild animal would rip them open.
9 [i]I destroy you, Israel!
who is there to help you?
10 Where now is your king,
that he may rescue you?
And all your princes,
that they may defend you?
Of whom you said,
“Give me a king and princes”?(Q)
11 I give you a king in my anger,
and I take him away in my wrath.[j]
12 The guilt of Ephraim is wrapped up,
his sin is stored away.
13 [k]The birth pangs will come for him,(R)
but this is an unwise child,
Who, when it is time, does not present himself
at the mouth of the womb.(S)
14 [l]Shall I deliver them from the power of Sheol?
shall I redeem them from death?
Where are your plagues, O death!
where is your sting, Sheol!(T)
Compassion is hidden from my eyes.
15 Though Ephraim[m] may flourish among his brothers,
an east wind(U) will come, a wind from the Lord,
rising from the wilderness,
That will dry up his spring,
and leave his fountain dry.
It will loot his treasury
of every precious thing.
Chapter 14
1 Samaria[n] has become guilty,
for she has rebelled against her God.
They shall fall by the sword,
their infants shall be dashed to pieces,(V)
their pregnant women shall be ripped open.(W)
Sincere Conversion and New Life
2 Return, Israel, to the Lord, your God;
you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
3 Take with you words,
and return to the Lord;
Say to him, “Forgive all iniquity,
and take what is good.
Let us offer the fruit of our lips.(X)
4 [o]Assyria will not save us,
nor will we mount horses;(Y)
We will never again say, ‘Our god,’
to the work of our hands;
for in you the orphan finds compassion.”(Z)
5 I will heal their apostasy,
I will love them freely;
for my anger is turned away from them.
6 I will be like the dew for Israel:(AA)
he will blossom like the lily;
He will strike root like the Lebanon cedar,
7 and his shoots will go forth.(AB)
His splendor will be like the olive tree
and his fragrance like Lebanon cedar.(AC)
8 Again they will live in his shade;
they will raise grain,
They will blossom like the vine,
and his renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.
9 Ephraim! What more have I to do with idols?(AD)
I have humbled him, but I will take note of him.
I am like a verdant cypress tree.[p]
From me fruit will be found for you!
Epilogue
10 [q]Who is wise enough to understand these things?(AE)
Who is intelligent enough to know them?
Straight are the paths of the Lord,(AF)
the just walk in them,(AG)
but sinners stumble in them.
Footnotes
- 12:1–15 This chapter draws a parallel between the history of Israel and events in the life of Jacob-Israel, the ancestor.
- 12:1 An attack on the idolatry of both kingdoms, Israel and Judah. Holy ones: subordinate gods, members of the divine council.
- 12:2 Hosea frequently condemns the alliances with Assyria and Egypt, the two world powers (7:8–16).
- 12:3 Jacob: whose name was changed to Israel (Gn 35:10).
- 12:14 A prophet: Moses.
- 13:1 Exalted in Israel: Ephraim enjoyed a privileged position in Israel (Gn 48:14–19).
- 13:2 Kiss calves: apparently a reference to a ritual gesture associated with the worship of Baal represented as a calf (1 Kgs 19:18).
- 13:4 I, the Lord…land of Egypt: according to 1 Kgs 12:28, Jeroboam introduced the calves used in the worship at the sanctuaries in Bethel and Dan with the words: “Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”
- 13:9–10 Only God can save Israel, not the king, whom Israel had requested from the Lord (1 Sm 8:1–9).
- 13:11 I give you a king…in my wrath: the Lord punished the people of the Northern Kingdom by giving them kings who were soon deposed (see notes on 7:3–7 and 8:4).
- 13:13 Ephraim will die along with its stored-up sin, just as a mother dies along with a child that she cannot deliver.
- 13:14 God calls upon “death” and “Sheol” to send their auxiliaries, “plagues” and “sting,” to punish Israel (Hb 3:5; Ps 91:6). Paul uses this text in a different way to speak about the victory over death (1 Cor 15:54–55).
- 13:15 Although “Ephraim” is not explicitly mentioned in the text (the Hebrew text has the word “he”), the wordplay with the Hebrew word for “flourish” (yaphrî’) suggests the use of “Ephraim” in the translation. Wind: possibly Assyria.
- 14:1 Samaria: the capital of the Northern Kingdom will fall; this is the punishment predicted for Ephraim, the Northern Kingdom.
- 14:4 These good intentions promise a reversal of Israel’s sins: no more reliance on “Assyria,” i.e., on foreign alliances (see notes on 8:9 and 12:2), on “horses,” i.e., on human power (10:13), and on idolatry (8:4–6; 13:2). Israel will trust in the Lord alone.
- 14:9 Verdant cypress tree: the symbol of lasting life, the opposite of the sacred trees of the Baal cult (4:13). The Lord provides the “fruit” (peri) to Israel (2:7, 10), another instance of the wordplay on Ephraim (see notes on 9:16 and 13:15).
- 14:10 A challenge to the reader in the style of the wisdom literature.
Ben Sira 43:13-33
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
13 His rebuke marks out the path for the hail,
and makes the flashes of his judgment shine forth.
14 For his own purposes he opens the storehouse
and makes the rain clouds fly like vultures.
15 His might gives the clouds their strength,
and breaks off the hailstones.
16 The thunder of his voice makes the earth writhe;
by his power he shakes the mountains.
17 A word from him drives on the south wind,
whirlwind, hurricane, and stormwind.
He makes the snow fly like birds;
it settles down like swarms of locusts.
18 Its shining whiteness blinds the eyes,
the mind marvels at its steady fall.
19 He scatters frost like salt;
it shines like blossoms on the thornbush.
20 He sends cold northern blasts
that harden the ponds like solid ground,
Spreads a crust over every body of water,
and clothes each pool with a coat of armor.
21 When mountain growth is scorched by heat,
and flowering plains as by fire,
22 The dripping clouds restore them all,
and the scattered dew enriches the parched land.
23 His is the plan that calms the deep,
and plants the islands in the sea.
24 Those who go down to the sea recount its extent,
and when we hear them we are thunderstruck;(A)
25 In it are his creatures, stupendous, amazing,
all kinds of life, and the monsters of the deep.
26 For him each messenger succeeds,
and at his bidding accomplishes his will.(B)
27 More than this we need not add;
let the last word be, he is the all![a]
28 Let us praise him the more, since we cannot fathom him,
for greater is he than all his works;
29 Awesome indeed is the Lord,
and wonderful his power.
30 Lift up your voices to glorify the Lord
as much as you can, for there is still more.
Extol him with renewed strength,
do not grow weary, for you cannot fathom him.
31 For who has seen him and can describe him?
Who can praise him as he is?(C)
32 Beyond these, many things lie hidden;
only a few of his works have I seen.
33 It is the Lord who has made all things;
to those who fear him he gives wisdom.(D)
Footnotes
- 43:27 The all: the perfections reflected in creation are found in a transcendent way in God, who alone is their source.
Revelation 19
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 19
1 After this I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying:
“Alleluia![a]
Salvation, glory, and might belong to our God,
2 for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great harlot
who corrupted the earth with her harlotry.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”(A)
3 They said a second time:
“Alleluia! Smoke will rise from her forever and ever.”(B)
4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen. Alleluia.”
The Victory Song.[b] 5 A voice coming from the throne said:
“Praise our God, all you his servants,
[and] you who revere him, small and great.”(C)
6 Then I heard something like the sound of a great multitude or the sound of rushing water or mighty peals of thunder, as they said:
“Alleluia!
The Lord has established his reign,
[our] God, the almighty.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory.
For the wedding day of the Lamb[c] has come,
his bride has made herself ready.(D)
8 She was allowed to wear
a bright, clean linen garment.”(E)
(The linen represents the righteous deeds of the holy ones.)[d]
9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed[e] are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These words are true; they come from God.”(F) 10 I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t! I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brothers who bear witness to Jesus. Worship God.(G) Witness to Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”[f]
The King of Kings. 11 [g]Then I saw the heavens opened, and there was a white horse; its rider was [called] “Faithful and True.” He judges and wages war in righteousness.(H) 12 His eyes were [like] a fiery flame, and on his head were many diadems. He had a name[h] inscribed that no one knows except himself.(I) 13 He wore a cloak that had been dipped in[i] blood, and his name was called the Word of God.(J) 14 The armies of heaven followed him, mounted on white horses and wearing clean white linen.(K) 15 Out of his mouth came a sharp sword to strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod, and he himself will tread out in the wine press[j] the wine of the fury and wrath of God the almighty.(L) 16 He has a name written on his cloak and on his thigh, “King of kings and Lord of lords.”(M)
17 [k]Then I saw an angel standing on the sun. He cried out [in] a loud voice to all the birds flying high overhead, “Come here. Gather for God’s great feast, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of military officers, and the flesh of warriors, the flesh of horses and of their riders, and the flesh of all, free and slave, small and great.”(N) 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to fight against the one riding the horse and against his army. 20 The beast was caught and with it the false prophet[l] who had performed in its sight the signs by which he led astray those who had accepted the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped its image. The two were thrown alive into the fiery pool burning with sulfur.(O) 21 The rest were killed by the sword that came out of the mouth of the one riding the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Footnotes
- 19:1, 3, 4, 6 Alleluia: found only here in the New Testament, this frequent exclamation of praise in the Hebrew psalms was important in Jewish liturgy.
- 19:5–10 A victory song follows, sung by the entire church, celebrating the marriage of the Lamb, the union of the Messiah with the community of the elect.
- 19:7 The wedding day of the Lamb: symbol of God’s reign about to begin (Rev 21:1–22:5); see note on Rev 10:7. His bride: the church; cf. 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:22–27. Marriage is one of the biblical metaphors used to describe the covenant relationship between God and his people; cf. Hos 2:16–22; Is 54:5–6; 62:5; Ez 16:6–14. Hence, idolatry and apostasy are viewed as adultery and harlotry (Hos 2:4–15; Ez 16:15–63); see note on Rev 14:4.
- 19:8 See note on Rev 14:12.
- 19:9 Blessed: see note on Rev 1:3.
- 19:10 The spirit of prophecy: as the prophets were inspired to proclaim God’s word, so the Christian is called to give witness to the Word of God (Rev 19:13) made flesh; cf. Rev 1:2; 6:9; 12:17.
- 19:11–16 Symbolic description of the exalted Christ (cf. Rev 1:13–16) who together with the armies of heaven overcomes the beast and its followers; cf. Rev 17:14.
- 19:12 A name: in Semitic thought, the name conveyed the reality of the person; cf. Mt 11:27; Lk 10:22.
- 19:13 Had been dipped in: other Greek manuscripts and versions read “had been sprinkled with”; cf. Rev 19:15. The Word of God: Christ is the revelation of the Father; cf. Jn 1:1, 14; 1 Jn 2:14.
- 19:15 The treading of the wine press is a prophetic symbol used to describe the destruction of God’s enemies; cf. Is 63:1–6; Jl 4:13.
- 19:17–21 The certainty of Christ’s victory is proclaimed by an angel, followed by a reference to the mustering of enemy forces and a fearsome description of their annihilation. The gruesome imagery is borrowed from Ez 39:4, 17–20.
- 19:20 Beast…false prophet: see notes on Rev 13. The fiery pool…sulfur: symbol of God’s punishment (Rev 14:10; 20:10, 14–15), different from the abyss; see note on Rev 9:1.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.