12 Now (A)Jacob fled to the [a]land of Aram,
And (B)Israel worked for a wife,
And for a wife he kept sheep.
13 But by a (C)prophet the Lord brought Israel up from Egypt,
And by a prophet he was protected.
14 (D)Ephraim has provoked God to bitter anger;
So his Lord will leave his (E)guilt for bloodshed on him
And bring his (F)disgrace back to him.

Ephraim’s Idolatry

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

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

[i]It is to your own destruction, Israel,
That you are (AC)against Me, against your (AD)help.
10 Where then is your (AE)king,
That he might save you in all your cities;
And your (AF)judges, to whom you said,
“Give me a king and princes”?
11 I (AG)gave you a king in My anger,
And (AH)took him away in My wrath.

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

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

Israel’s Future Blessing

14 [p](AZ)Return, Israel, to the Lord your God,
For you have stumbled [q]because of your (BA)wrongdoing.
Take words with you and return to the Lord.
Say to Him, “(BB)Take away all guilt
And [r]receive us graciously,
So that we may (BC)present [s]the fruit of our lips.
Assyria will not save us,
We will (BD)not ride on horses;
Nor will we say again, ‘(BE)Our god’
To the (BF)work of our hands;
For in (BG)You the [t]orphan finds mercy.”

I will (BH)heal their apostasy,
I will (BI)love them freely,
Because My anger has (BJ)turned away from them.
I will be like the (BK)dew to Israel;
He will blossom like the (BL)lily,
And he will [u]take root like the cedars of (BM)Lebanon.
His shoots will [v]sprout,
His [w]majesty will be like the (BN)olive tree,
And his fragrance like the cedars of (BO)Lebanon.
Those who (BP)live in his shadow
Will [x]again raise (BQ)grain,
And they will blossom like the vine.
His fame will be like the wine of Lebanon.

Ephraim, what more have I to do with (BR)idols?
It is I who answer and look after [y]you.
I am like a luxuriant (BS)juniper;
From (BT)Me [z]comes your fruit.

(BU)Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;
Whoever is discerning, let him know them.
For the (BV)ways of the Lord are right,
And the (BW)righteous will walk in them,
But (BX)wrongdoers will stumble in them.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 12:12 Lit field
  2. Hosea 13:1 Or spoke with trembling, he exalted
  3. Hosea 13:2 Or according to their skill
  4. Hosea 13:2 Lit sacrificers of; or among mankind
  5. Hosea 13:3 Lit goes away early
  6. Hosea 13:5 Or knew
  7. Hosea 13:7 Or watch
  8. Hosea 13:8 Lit the enclosure of their heart
  9. Hosea 13:9 Lit It has destroyed you
  10. Hosea 13:13 Lit it is the time that he should not remain at the opening of children
  11. Hosea 13:14 Lit hand
  12. Hosea 13:14 Or stings
  13. Hosea 13:15 Another reading is brothers
  14. Hosea 13:16 Ch 14:1 in Heb
  15. Hosea 13:16 Lit shattered
  16. Hosea 14:1 Ch 14:2 in Heb
  17. Hosea 14:1 Or in
  18. Hosea 14:2 Or accept that which is good
  19. Hosea 14:2 As in ancient versions; MT our lips as bulls
  20. Hosea 14:3 Or fatherless
  21. Hosea 14:5 Lit strike his roots
  22. Hosea 14:6 Lit go
  23. Hosea 14:6 Lit splendor
  24. Hosea 14:7 Or return, they will raise grain
  25. Hosea 14:8 Lit him
  26. Hosea 14:8 Lit is found

12 אִם־גִּלְעָ֥ד אָ֙וֶן֙ אַךְ־שָׁ֣וְא הָי֔וּ בַּגִּלְגָּ֖ל שְׁוָרִ֣ים זִבֵּ֑חוּ גַּ֤ם מִזְבְּחוֹתָם֙ כְּגַלִּ֔ים עַ֖ל תַּלְמֵ֥י שָׂדָֽי׃

13 וַיִּבְרַ֥ח יַעֲקֹ֖ב שְׂדֵ֣ה אֲרָ֑ם וַיַּעֲבֹ֤ד יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּאִשָּׁ֔ה וּבְאִשָּׁ֖ה שָׁמָֽר׃

14 וּבְנָבִ֕יא הֶעֱלָ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וּבְנָבִ֖יא נִשְׁמָֽר׃

15 הִכְעִ֥יס אֶפְרַ֖יִם תַּמְרוּרִ֑ים וְדָמָיו֙ עָלָ֣יו יִטּ֔וֹשׁ וְחֶ֨רְפָּת֔וֹ יָשִׁ֥יב ל֖וֹ אֲדֹנָֽיו׃

13 כְּדַבֵּ֤ר אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ רְתֵ֔ת נָשָׂ֥א ה֖וּא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֶּאְשַׁ֥ם בַּבַּ֖עַל וַיָּמֹֽת׃

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

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

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

אֲנִ֥י יְדַעְתִּ֖יךָ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר בְּאֶ֖רֶץ תַּלְאֻבֽוֹת׃

כְּמַרְעִיתָם֙ וַיִּשְׂבָּ֔עוּ שָׂבְע֖וּ וַיָּ֣רָם לִבָּ֑ם עַל־כֵּ֖ן שְׁכֵחֽוּנִי׃

וָאֱהִ֥י לָהֶ֖ם כְּמוֹ־שָׁ֑חַל כְּנָמֵ֖ר עַל־דֶּ֥רֶךְ אָשֽׁוּר׃

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

שִֽׁחֶתְךָ֥ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כִּֽי־בִ֥י בְעֶזְרֶֽךָ׃

10 אֱהִ֤י מַלְכְּךָ֙ אֵפ֔וֹא וְיוֹשִֽׁיעֲךָ֖ בְּכָל־עָרֶ֑יךָ וְשֹׁ֣פְטֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֔רְתָּ תְּנָה־לִּ֖י מֶ֥לֶךְ וְשָׂרִֽים׃

11 אֶֽתֶּן־לְךָ֥ מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ בְּאַפִּ֔י וְאֶקַּ֖ח בְּעֶבְרָתִֽי׃ ס

12 צָרוּר֙ עֲוֺ֣ן אֶפְרָ֔יִם צְפוּנָ֖ה חַטָּאתֽוֹ׃

13 חֶבְלֵ֥י יֽוֹלֵדָ֖ה יָבֹ֣אוּ ל֑וֹ הוּא־בֵן֙ לֹ֣א חָכָ֔ם כִּֽי־עֵ֥ת לֹֽא־יַעֲמֹ֖ד בְּמִשְׁבַּ֥ר בָּנִֽים׃

14 מִיַּ֤ד שְׁאוֹל֙ אֶפְדֵּ֔ם מִמָּ֖וֶת אֶגְאָלֵ֑ם אֱהִ֨י דְבָרֶיךָ֜ מָ֗וֶת אֱהִ֤י קָֽטָבְךָ֙ שְׁא֔וֹל נֹ֖חַם יִסָּתֵ֥ר מֵעֵינָֽי׃

15 כִּ֣י ה֔וּא בֵּ֥ן אַחִ֖ים יַפְרִ֑יא יָב֣וֹא קָדִים֩ ר֨וּחַ יְהוָ֜ה מִמִּדְבָּ֣ר עֹלֶ֗ה וְיֵב֤וֹשׁ מְקוֹרוֹ֙ וְיֶחֱרַ֣ב מַעְיָנ֔וֹ ה֣וּא יִשְׁסֶ֔ה אוֹצַ֖ר כָּל־כְּלִ֥י חֶמְדָּֽה׃

14 תֶּאְשַׁם֙ שֹֽׁמְר֔וֹן כִּ֥י מָרְתָ֖ה בֵּֽאלֹהֶ֑יהָ בַּחֶ֣רֶב יִפֹּ֔לוּ עֹלְלֵיהֶ֣ם יְרֻטָּ֔שׁוּ וְהָרִיּוֹתָ֖יו יְבֻקָּֽעוּ׃ פ

שׁ֚וּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כִּ֥י כָשַׁ֖לְתָּ בַּעֲוֺנֶֽךָ׃

קְח֤וּ עִמָּכֶם֙ דְּבָרִ֔ים וְשׁ֖וּבוּ אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה אִמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו כָּל־תִּשָּׂ֤א עָוֺן֙ וְקַח־ט֔וֹב וּֽנְשַׁלְּמָ֥ה פָרִ֖ים שְׂפָתֵֽינוּ׃

אַשּׁ֣וּר׀ לֹ֣א יוֹשִׁיעֵ֗נוּ עַל־סוּס֙ לֹ֣א נִרְכָּ֔ב וְלֹא־נֹ֥אמַר ע֛וֹד אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ לְמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֵ֑ינוּ אֲשֶׁר־בְּךָ֖ יְרֻחַ֥ם יָתֽוֹם׃

אֶרְפָּא֙ מְשׁ֣וּבָתָ֔ם אֹהֲבֵ֖ם נְדָבָ֑ה כִּ֛י שָׁ֥ב אַפִּ֖י מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

אֶהְיֶ֤ה כַטַּל֙ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יִפְרַ֖ח כַּשּֽׁוֹשַׁנָּ֑ה וְיַ֥ךְ שָׁרָשָׁ֖יו כַּלְּבָנֽוֹן׃

יֵֽלְכוּ֙ יֹֽנְקוֹתָ֔יו וִיהִ֥י כַזַּ֖יִת הוֹד֑וֹ וְרֵ֥יחַֽ ל֖וֹ כַּלְּבָנֽוֹן׃

יָשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י בְצִלּ֔וֹ יְחַיּ֥וּ דָגָ֖ן וְיִפְרְח֣וּ כַגָּ֑פֶן זִכְר֖וֹ כְּיֵ֥ין לְבָנֽוֹן׃ ס

אֶפְרַ֕יִם מַה־לִּ֥י ע֖וֹד לָֽעֲצַבִּ֑ים אֲנִ֧י עָנִ֣יתִי וַאֲשׁוּרֶ֗נּוּ אֲנִי֙ כִּבְר֣וֹשׁ רַֽעֲנָ֔ן מִמֶּ֖נִּי פֶּרְיְךָ֥ נִמְצָֽא׃

10 מִ֤י חָכָם֙ וְיָ֣בֵֽן אֵ֔לֶּה נָב֖וֹן וְיֵֽדָעֵ֑ם כִּֽי־יְשָׁרִ֞ים דַּרְכֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה וְצַדִּקִים֙ יֵ֣לְכוּ בָ֔ם וּפֹשְׁעִ֖ים יִכָּ֥שְׁלוּ בָֽם׃