13 When Ephraim spoke,(A) there was trembling;
he was exalted in Israel.(B)
But he incurred guilt through Baal(C) and died.

Now they continue to sin
and make themselves a cast image,(D)
idols skillfully made from their silver,(E)
all of them the work of craftsmen.(F)
People say about them,
“Let the men who sacrifice[a] kiss the calves.”(G)
Therefore, they will be like the morning mist,(H)
like the early dew that vanishes,
like chaff blown from a threshing floor,(I)
or like smoke from a window.(J)

Death and Resurrection

I have been the Lord your God(K)
ever since[b] the land of Egypt;
you know no God but me,(L)
and no Savior exists besides me.(M)
I knew[c] you in the wilderness,(N)
in the land of drought.
When they had pasture,
they became satisfied;(O)
they were satisfied,
and their hearts became proud.(P)
Therefore they forgot me.(Q)
So I will be like a lion(R) to them;
I will lurk like a leopard(S) on the path.
I will attack them
like a bear robbed of her cubs
and tear open the rib cage over their hearts.
I will devour them there like a lioness,(T)
like a wild beast that would rip them open.
I will destroy you, Israel;
you have no help but me.[d](U)

10 Where now is your king,[e](V)
that he may save you in all your cities,
and the[f] rulers[g](W) you demanded, saying,
“Give me a king and leaders”?
11 I give you a king in my anger(X)
and take away a king in my wrath.(Y)
12 Ephraim’s guilt is preserved;
his sin is stored up.(Z)
13 Labor pains come on him.(AA)
He is not a wise son;(AB)
when the time comes,
he will not be born.[h](AC)

14 I will ransom them from the power of Sheol.
I will redeem[i] them from death.(AD)
Death, where are your barbs?
Sheol, where is your sting?(AE)
Compassion is hidden from my eyes.(AF)

The Coming Judgment

15 Although he flourishes among his brothers,[j](AG)
an east wind will come,(AH)
a wind from the Lord rising up from the desert.
His water source will fail,
and his spring will run dry.(AI)
The wind[k] will plunder the treasury(AJ)
of every precious item.

16 Samaria(AK) will bear her guilt(AL)
because she has rebelled against her God.(AM)
They will fall by the sword;(AN)
their children will be dashed to pieces,(AO)
and their pregnant women ripped open.(AP)

Footnotes

  1. 13:2 Or “Those who make human sacrifices
  2. 13:4 DSS, LXX read God who brought you out of
  3. 13:5 LXX, Syr read fed
  4. 13:9 LXX reads At your destruction, Israel, who will help you?
  5. 13:10 LXX, Syr, Vg; MT reads I will be your king
  6. 13:10 Lit your
  7. 13:10 Or judges
  8. 13:13 Lit he will not present himself at the opening of the womb for sons
  9. 13:14 Or Should I ransom...? Should I redeem...?
  10. 13:15 Or among reeds
  11. 13:15 Probably the Assyrian king

The Lord’s Anger against Israel

13 “When the tribe of[a] Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;
    and it was exalted within Israel.
But when they offended God by Baal,
    they died,
but now they are sinning more and more,
    crafting idols from melted silver.
Their idols are made with the most exacting skill,
    all of it the work of craftsmen.
People[b] say about them,
    ‘They offer human sacrifice,
        and kiss calf-shaped idols.’[c]
Therefore they will be like morning clouds,
    like early morning dew that evaporates,
like chaff blown away from the threshing floor,
    or like smoke from a chimney.”[d]

The Lord is Israel’s God

“I am the Lord your God
    from the land of Egypt,
and you have known no god except for me,
    because except for me there is no savior.
I took care of[e] you in the wilderness,
    in a waterless land.
As their pastures flourished,
    all their desires were met.[f]
As they were satiated,
    they became arrogant
        and therefore ignored me.

“So I will be like a lion to them.
    Like a leopard I will stalk them along the road.
I will confront them like a bear deprived of her cubs;[g]
    I will tear open their ribs.
I will devour them like a lion—
    the wild beasts will rip them apart.

“You have destroyed yourself, Israel,
    although I remain your help.
10 Now where is your king?
    Will he save you in all your cities?
And where are[h] your judges,
    about whom you demanded,
        ‘Give me a king and officials!’?
11 I gave you a king in my anger,
    and I took him[i] away in my fury.”

12 “Ephraim’s guilt is on record;
    his sin is stored away.
13 When the time of childbirth comes,
    he will be so foolish
        that he will refuse to be born.”

14 “From the power of Sheol I will rescue them,
    from death I will redeem them.
Death, where are[j] your plagues?
    Sheol, where is[k] your destruction?
        My eyes will remain closed to your pleas for[l] compassion.
15 Even though he is fruitful compared to his relatives,
    an east wind will come,
the Lord’s wind storm from the wilderness,
    and his spring will evaporate.
His fountain will dry up,
    and the Lord’s[m] wind storm will plunder
        all the expensive vessels of the treasury.
16 [n]Samaria will be held guilty,
    because she has rebelled against her God.
By the sword they will fall—
    with their infants dashed to pieces,
        and their pregnant women torn open.”

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 13:1 The Heb. lacks the tribe of
  2. Hosea 13:2 Lit. They
  3. Hosea 13:2 Lit. kissing calves
  4. Hosea 13:3 Or window
  5. Hosea 13:5 So LXX. MT reads I knew
  6. Hosea 13:6 Lit. flourished, they were satiated
  7. Hosea 13:8 The Heb. lacks of her cubs
  8. Hosea 13:10 The Heb. lacks where are
  9. Hosea 13:11 The Heb. lacks him
  10. Hosea 13:14 Or death, I will be
  11. Hosea 13:14 Or Sheol, I will be
  12. Hosea 13:14 The Heb. lacks your pleas for
  13. Hosea 13:15 Lit. and it
  14. Hosea 13:16 This v. is 14:1 in MT