Hosea 13:1–16

¹“When E′phra‧im spoke, there was trembling; he himself carried [weight] in Israel. But he proceeded to become guilty in regard to Ba′al and die.²And now they commit additional sin and make for themselves a molten statue from their silver, idols according to their own understanding, the work of craftsmen, all of it. To them they are saying, ‘Let the sacrificers who are men kiss mere calves.’³Therefore they will become like the clouds of morning and like the dew that early goes away; like chaff that is stormed away from the threshing floor and like smoke from the [roof] hole.

⁴“But I am Jehovah your God from the land of Egypt, and there was no God except me that you used to know; and there was no savior but I.⁵I myself knew you in the wilderness, in the land of fevers.⁶According to their pasturage they also came to be satisfied. They became satisfied and their heart began to be exalted. That is why they forgot me.⁷And I shall become to them like a young lion. Like a leopard by [the] way I shall keep looking.⁸I shall encounter them like a bear that has lost its cubs, and I shall rip apart the enclosure of their heart. And I shall devour them there like a lion; a wild beast of the field itself will tear them to pieces.⁹It will certainly bring you to ruin, O Israel, because it was against me, against your helper.

¹⁰“Where, then, is your king, that he may save you in all your cities, and your judges, [concerning] whom you said, ‘Do give me a king and princes’?¹¹I proceeded to give you a king in my anger, and I shall take [him] away in my fury.

¹²“The error of E′phra‧im is wrapped up, his sin is treasured up.¹³The labor pangs of a woman giving birth are what will come to him. He is a son not wise, for in season he will not stand still at the breaking forth of sons [from the womb].

¹⁴“From the hand of She′ol I shall redeem them; from death I shall recover them. Where are your stings, O Death? Where is your destructiveness, O She′ol? Compassion itself will be concealed from my eyes.

¹⁵“In case he himself as the son of reed plants should show fruitfulness, an east wind, the wind of Jehovah, will come. From a wilderness it is coming up, and it will dry up his well and drain his spring. That one will pillage the treasure of all desirable articles.

¹⁶“Sa‧mar′i‧a will be held guilty, for she is actually rebellious against her God. By the sword they will fall. Their own children will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women themselves will be ripped up.”