Hosea 13–14

13When Ephraim spoke,^ac there was trembling;

he was exalted in Israel.^ad

But he incurred guilt through Baal^ae and died.

²Now they continue to sin

and make themselves a cast image,^af

idols skillfully made from their silver,^ag

all of them the work of craftsmen.^ah

People say about them,

“Let the men who sacrifice^D kiss the calves.”^ai

³Therefore, they will be like the morning mist,^aj

like the early dew that vanishes,

like chaff blown from a threshing floor,^ak

or like smoke from a window.^al

DEATH AND RESURRECTION

⁴I have been the Lord your God^am

ever since^A the land of Egypt;

you know no God but me,^an

and no Savior exists besides me.^ao

⁵I knew^B you in the wilderness,^ap

in the land of drought.

⁶When they had pasture,

they became satisfied;^aq

they were satisfied,

and their hearts became proud.^ar

Therefore they forgot me.^as

⁷So I will be like a lion^at to them;

I will lurk like a leopard^au on the path.

⁸I will attack them

like a bear robbed of her cubs

and tear open the rib cage over their hearts.

I will devour them there like a lioness,^av

like a wild beast that would rip them open.

⁹I will destroy you, Israel;

you have no help but me.^Caw

¹⁰Where now is your king,^Dax

that he may save you in all your cities,

and the^E rulers^Fay you demanded, saying,

“Give me a king and leaders”?

¹¹I give you a king in my anger^az

and take away a king in my wrath.^a

¹²Ephraim’s guilt is preserved;

his sin is stored up.^b

¹³Labor pains come on him.^c

He is not a wise son;^d

when the time comes,

he will not be born.^Ge

¹⁴I will ransom them from the power of Sheol.

I will redeem^H them from death.^f

Death, where are your barbs?

Sheol, where is your sting?^g

Compassion is hidden from my eyes.^h

THE COMING JUDGMENT

¹⁵Although he flourishes among his brothers,^Ii

an east wind will come,^j

a wind from the Lord rising up from the desert.

His water source will fail,

and his spring will run dry.^k

The wind^J will plunder the treasury^l

of every precious item.

¹⁶Samaria^m will bear her guiltⁿ

because she has rebelled against her God.^o

They will fall by the sword;^p

their children will be dashed to pieces,^q

and their pregnant women ripped open.^r

A PLEA TO REPENT

14Israel, return to the Lord your God,^s

for you have stumbled in your iniquity.^t

²Take words of repentance with you^u

and return to the Lord.

Say to him, “Forgive all our iniquity

and accept what is good,

so that we may repay you

with praise^A from our^B lips.^v

³Assyria will not save us,^w

we will not ride on horses,^x

and we will no longer proclaim, ‘Our gods!’^y

to the work of our hands.^z

For the fatherless receives compassion in you.”^aa

A PROMISE OF RESTORATION

⁴I will heal their apostasy;^ab

I will freely love them,^ac

for my anger will have turned from him.^ad

⁵I will be like the dew to Israel;^ae

he will blossom like the lily^af

and take root like the cedars of Lebanon.^ag

⁶His new branches will spread,

and his splendor will be like the olive tree,^ah

his fragrance, like the forest of Lebanon.^ai

⁷The people will return and live beneath his shade.^aj

They will grow grain^ak

and blossom like the vine.

His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

⁸Ephraim, why should I^C have anything more

to do with idols?^al

It is I who answer and watch over him.

I am like a flourishing pine tree;^am

your fruit comes from me.^an

⁹Let whoever is wise^ao understand these things,

and whoever is insightful recognize them.

For the ways of the Lord are right,^ap

and the righteous walk in them,^aq

but the rebellious stumble in them.^ar