Hosea 13–14

13When Ephraim spake, there was trembling; he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died. ²And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, even idols according to their own understanding, all of them the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves. ³Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the dew that passeth early away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the threshing-floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

⁴Yet I am Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt; and thou shalt know no god but me, and besides me there is no saviour. ⁵I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought. ⁶According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted: therefore have they forgotten me. ⁷Therefore am I unto them as a lion; as a leopard will I watch by the way; ⁸I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart; and there will I devour them like a lioness; the wild beast shall tear them.

⁹It is thy destruction, O Israel, that thou art against me, against thy help. ¹⁰Where now is thy king, that he may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges, of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? ¹¹I have given thee a king in mine anger, and have taken him away in my wrath. ¹²The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is laid up in store. ¹³The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for it is time he should not tarry in the place of the breaking forth of children. ¹⁴I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from death: O death, where are thy plagues? O Sheol, where is thy destruction? repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

¹⁵Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the breath of Jehovah coming up from the wilderness; and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall make spoil of the treasure of all goodly vessels. ¹⁶Samaria shall bear her guilt; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword; their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.

14O Israel, return unto Jehovah thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. ²Take with you words, and return unto Jehovah: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and accept that which is good: so will we render as bullocks the offering of our lips. ³Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods; for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

⁴I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him. ⁵I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. ⁶His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon. ⁷They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the grain, and blossom as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. ⁸Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have answered, and will regard him: I am like a green firtree; from me is thy fruit found.

⁹Who is wise, that he may understand these things? prudent, that he may know them? for the ways of Jehovah are right, and the just shall walk in them; but transgressors shall fall therein.