Hosea 13

¹ When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel. But he became guilty through Baal and died.

² And now they continue to sin: they made a cast image for themselves from their silver, idols shaped by their own understanding, all the work of craftsmen. They say of them, “Those who sacrifice people kiss calves.”

³ Therefore they will be like the morning cloud, like the dew that quickly vanishes, like chaff the wind drives from the threshing floor, like smoke that escapes through a window.

⁴ And I am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt; you shall know no God besides me, and there is no savior but me.

⁵ I knew you in the wilderness, in a land of great drought.

⁶ According to their pasture, they were satisfied; they were satisfied, and their hearts became proud. Therefore they forgot me.

⁷ So I became like a lion to them; like a leopard, I lie in wait beside the road.

⁸ I will meet them like a bear robbed of her cubs, and I will tear open their closed chest. There I will devour them like a lioness, and the wild animal will tear them apart.

⁹ He has destroyed you, Israel, though your help is in me.

¹⁰ Where now is your king, that he may save you in all your cities? And your judges, of whom you said, “Give me a king and leaders”?

¹¹ I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him away in my fury.

¹² Ephraim’s guilt is wrapped up; his sin is stored away.

¹³ The pains of childbirth will come upon him. He is a son without wisdom, for when the time comes, he does not present himself at the opening of the womb.

¹⁴ From the hand of Sheol I will ransom them; from death I will redeem them. Where are your plagues, O death? Where is your destruction, O Sheol? Compassion is hidden from my eyes.

¹⁵ Though he bears fruit among his brothers, the east wind will come, the wind of the LORD rising from the desert; his spring will dry up, and his well will run dry. It will plunder the treasure of every precious object.

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