Hosea 13
1ACCORDING to Ephraim’s own account he received rules of rectitude by Israel, but he attributed them to Baal and incurred death.
2And now they have proceeded on to greater acts of sin; and of their silver have made themselves a molten image, according to the image of idols. The handiworks of craftsmen being consecrated for them, they say, Sacrifice men, for young bulls have failed.
3For this cause they shall be like a morning cloud, and like a transient dew of the morning—like chaff blown from a winnowing floor and like a vapour from tears.
4As for Me, I the Lord thy God am He Who established the heaven, and created the earth, Whose hands have created all the host of heaven; but I did not display these to thee that thou shouldst go after them. As I have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt; therefore thou shalt acknowledge no God besides Me. Indeed besides Me there is no saviour.
5It was I who fed thee in the desert—in an uninhabited land.
6When in their pastures they were fed to the full; then were their hearts lifted up. For this cause they forgot Me.
7Therefore I will be to them as a tiger, even as a tigress in the way to the Assyrians.
8I will meet them as a bear bereaved of her cubs, and rend the covering of their heart; and the young lions of the forest shall there devour them; and the beasts of the field shall tear them to pieces.
9In thy destruction, O Israel, who can give succour?
10Where is this king of thine? Let him save thee in all thy cities. Let him judge thee, of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and a chief.
11I gave thee a king in Mine indignation,
12and in My wrath restrained the whirlwind of Ephraim’s iniquity. As his sin is carefully laid up in store,
13pangs as of a woman in travail shall come upon him. (p) With regard to that son of Thine who is wise, why may not he survive in the destruction of Thy children.
14(J) Him I will deliver from the power of the grave, and from death I will redeem them.
(p) O death, where is thy punishment? Where thy sting, O grave?
Is comfort hid from mine eyes?
15Since he will make a distinction among brethren; let the Lord bring upon him a blasting wind from the desert, and let it dry up his veins and lay waste his fountains; let it parch up his land and all his precious stores.
16Samaria shall be utterly destroyed: because she rebelled against her God, they shall fall by the sword; and their infants shall be dashed to pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.