Ephraim’s Idolatry

13 (A)When Ephraim [a]spoke, there was trembling.
He (B)exalted himself in Israel,
But through (C)Baal he incurred guilt and died.
And now they sin more and more,
And make for themselves (D)cast metal images,
Idols [b](E)skillfully made from their silver,
All of them the (F)work of craftsmen.
They say of them, “Let the [c]people who sacrifice kiss the (G)calves!”
Therefore they will be like the (H)morning cloud
And like dew which [d]soon disappears,
Like (I)chaff which is blown away from the threshing floor,
And like (J)smoke from a chimney.

Yet I have been the (K)Lord your God
Since the land of Egypt;
And you were not to know (L)any god except Me,
For there is no savior (M)besides Me.
I [e](N)cared for you in the wilderness,
(O)In the land of drought.
As they had their pasture, they became (P)satisfied,
And as they became satisfied, their (Q)heart became proud;
Therefore they (R)forgot Me.
So I will be (S)like a lion to them;
Like a (T)leopard I will [f]lie in wait by the wayside.
I will confront them (U)like a bear deprived of her cubs,
And I will tear open [g]their chests;
I will also (V)devour them there like a lioness,
As a wild animal would tear them to pieces.

[h]It is to your own destruction, Israel,
That you are (W)against Me, against your (X)help.
10 Where then is your (Y)king,
That he might save you in all your cities;
And your (Z)judges, to whom you said,
“Give me a king and princes”?
11 I (AA)gave you a king in My anger,
And (AB)took him away in My wrath.

12 The guilt of Ephraim is wrapped up;
His sin is (AC)stored up.
13 The pains of (AD)childbirth come on him;
He is (AE)not a wise son,
For [i]it is not the time that he should (AF)delay at the opening of the womb.
14 Shall I (AG)ransom them from the [j]power of Sheol?
Shall I redeem them from death?
(AH)Death, where are your [k]thorns?
Sheol, where is your sting?
(AI)Compassion will be hidden from My sight.

15 Though he (AJ)flourishes among the [l]reeds,
An (AK)east wind will come,
The wind of the Lord coming up from the wilderness;
And his fountain will (AL)become dry
And his spring will dry up;
It will (AM)plunder his treasury of every precious article.
16 [m]Samaria will pay the penalty for her (AN)guilt,
Because she has (AO)rebelled against her God.
(AP)They will fall by the (AQ)sword,
Their children will be [n](AR)slaughtered,
And their pregnant (AS)women will be ripped open.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 13:1 Or spoke with trembling, he exalted
  2. Hosea 13:2 Or according to their skill
  3. Hosea 13:2 Lit sacrificers of; or among mankind
  4. Hosea 13:3 Lit goes away early
  5. Hosea 13:5 Or knew
  6. Hosea 13:7 Or watch
  7. Hosea 13:8 Lit the enclosure of their heart
  8. Hosea 13:9 Lit It has destroyed you
  9. Hosea 13:13 Lit it is the time that he should not remain at the opening of children
  10. Hosea 13:14 Lit hand
  11. Hosea 13:14 Or stings
  12. Hosea 13:15 Another reading is brothers
  13. Hosea 13:16 Ch 14:1 in Heb
  14. Hosea 13:16 Lit shattered

An Experience of the Captivity.

137 By the (A)rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down and (B)wept,
When we remembered Zion.
Upon the [a](C)willows in the midst of it
We (D)hung our [b]harps.
For there our captors [c](E)demanded of us [d]songs,
And (F)our tormentors, jubilation, saying,
“Sing for us one of the songs of Zion!”

How can we sing (G)the Lords song
In a foreign land?
If I (H)forget you, Jerusalem,
May my right hand [e]forget its skill.
May my (I)tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
If I do not remember you,
If I do not [f](J)exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.

Remember, Lord, against the sons of (K)Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Those who said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare
(L)To its foundation!”
Daughter of Babylon, you [g](M)devastated one,
Blessed will be one who (N)repays you
With [h]the retribution with which you have repaid us.
Blessed will be one who seizes and (O)dashes your children
Against the rock.

Thanksgiving for the Lords Favor.

A Psalm of David.

138 (P)I will give You thanks with all my heart;
I will sing Your praises before the (Q)gods.
I will bow down (R)toward Your holy temple
And (S)give thanks to Your name for Your mercy and Your [i]truth;
For You have (T)made Your [j]word great [k]according to all Your name.
On the day I (U)called, You answered me;
You made me bold with (V)strength in my soul.

(W)All the kings of the earth will give thanks to You, Lord,
When they have heard the words of Your mouth.
And they will (X)sing of the ways of the Lord,
For (Y)great is the glory of the Lord.
For (Z)the Lord is exalted,
Yet He (AA)looks after the lowly,
But He knows the (AB)haughty from afar.

Though I (AC)walk in the midst of trouble, You will [l](AD)revive me;
You will (AE)reach out with Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will (AF)save me.
The Lord will (AG)accomplish what concerns me;
Your (AH)faithfulness, Lord, is everlasting;
(AI)Do not abandon the (AJ)works of Your hands.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 137:2 Or poplars
  2. Psalm 137:2 Lit lyres
  3. Psalm 137:3 Lit asked
  4. Psalm 137:3 Lit words of song
  5. Psalm 137:5 I.e., become useless
  6. Psalm 137:6 Lit cause to ascend
  7. Psalm 137:8 Or devastator
  8. Psalm 137:8 Lit your requital
  9. Psalm 138:2 Or faithfulness
  10. Psalm 138:2 Or promise
  11. Psalm 138:2 Or together with
  12. Psalm 138:7 Or keep me alive

Bible Gateway Recommends