Hosea 13

Infidelity despite divine goodness

1 When Ephraim spoke,
there was excitement;
he was praised in Israel;
but he became guilty through Baal and died.
2 And now they keep on sinning;
they have made metal images,
idols of silver,
as a result of their skill,
all of them the work of craftsmen.
"Sacrifice to these," they say.
People are kissing calves!
3 Therefore, they will be
like the morning mist,
like the dew that passes away early,
like husks that swirl
from the threshing floor,
or like smoke from a window.
4 Yet I have been the LORD your God
ever since the land of Egypt;
and you will know no other gods but me;
there is no savior besides me.
5 I knew you in the wilderness,
in the land of no rain.

6 When I fed them, they were satisfied;
and their hearts became proud;
therefore, they forgot me.

Consequences of infidelity

7 So I will become like a lion to them;
like a leopard I will lurk beside the road.
8 I will fall upon them
like a bear robbed of her cubs,
and I will tear open
the covering of their hearts.
I will devour them like a lion,
as a wild animal would eat them.
9 I will destroy you, Israel;
for you didn’t realize
that I could help you.
10 Where is your king now,
so that he can save you?
Where in all your cities are your judges,
of whom you said,
"Give me a king and rulers"?
11 I gave you a king in my anger,
and I took him away in my wrath.
12 Ephraim’s wickedness is bound up;
his sin is kept in store.
13 The pangs of a woman in childbirth
come for him,
but he is not aware
of the time to be born;
for at the proper time
he doesn’t present himself
at the mouth of the womb.
14 Will I ransom them
from the power of the gravet Heb Sheol
Will I redeem them from death’s hold?
Death, where are your diseases?
Grave,t where is your destruction?
Compassion is hidden from my eyes.
15 Although he may flourish among rushes,
the east wind will come—
the breath of God
rising from the wilderness;
and his spring will dry up;
his fountain will be dried up.
It will strip his household
of every cherished possession.

16 t Samaria will be desolate,
because she has rebelled
against her God;
by the sword they will fall—
their babies will be dashed,
and their pregnant women
ripped open.

Hosea 13

Baal Worshipers and Calf Worshipers to be Destroyed

1 When Ephraims spoke,t there was terror;t
he was exalteds in Israel,
but he became guilty by worshiping Baal and died.

2 Even now they persist in sin!t
They make metal images for themselves,
idols that they skillfully fashiont from their own silver;
all of them are nothing but the work of craftsmen!
There is a saying about them:t
“Those who sacrificet to the calf idol are calf kissers!”t

3 Therefore they will disappear liket the morning mist,t
like early morning dew that evaporates,t
like chaff that is blown awayt from a threshing floor,
like smoke that disappears through an open window.

Well-Fed Israel Will Be Fed to Wild Animals

4 But I am the Lord your God,
who brought you out of Egypt.
Therefore, you must not acknowledge any God but me;
except me there is no Savior.

5 I careds for you in the wilderness,
in the dry desert where no water was.t

6 When they were fed,s they became satisfied;
when they were satisfied, they became proud;t
as a result, they forgot me!

7 Sot I will pounce on them like a lion;t
like a leopard I will lurk by the path.

8 I will attack them like a bear robbed of her cubs –
I will rip open their chests.
I will devour them there like a lion –
like a wild animal would tear them apart.

Israel’s King Unable to Deliver the Nation

9 I will destroy you,s O Israel!
Whos is there to help you?

10 Wheres then is your king,
that he may save you in all your cities?
Where aret your rulers for whom you asked, saying,
“Give me a king and princes”?

11 I grantedt you a king in my anger,
and I will take him away in my wrath!

Israel’s Punishment Will Not Be Withheld Much Longer

12 The punishmentt of Ephraim has been decreed;t
his punishment is being stored up for the future.

13 The labor pains of a woman will overtake him,
but the baby will lack wisdom;
when the time arrives,
he will not come out of the womb!

The Lord Will Not Relent from the Threatened Judgment

14 Will I deliver them from the power of Sheol? No, I will not!t
Will I redeem them from death? No, I will not!
O Death, bring on your plagues!t
O Sheol, bring on your destruction!ts
My eyes will not show any compassion!t

The Capital of the Northern Empire Will Be Destroyed

15 Even though he flourishes like a reed plant,st
a scorching east wind will come,
a wind from the Lord rising up from the desert.
As a result, his spring will dry up;s
his well will become dry.
That windt will spoil all his delightful foods
in the containers in his storehouse.

16 s Samaria will be held guilty,t
because she rebelled against her God.
They will fall by the sword,
their infants will be dashed to the ground –
theirt pregnant women will be ripped open.