Hosea 13:12–16

12 The guilt of Ephraim is stored up,

his sins are kept on record.

13 Pains as of a woman in childbirth come to him,

but he is a child without wisdom;

when the time arrives,

he doesn’t have the sense to come out of the womb.

14 “I will deliver this people from the power of the grave;

I will redeem them from death.

Where, O death, are your plagues?

Where, O grave, is your destruction?

“I will have no compassion,

15 even though he thrives among his brothers.

An east wind from the Lord will come,

blowing in from the desert;

his spring will fail

and his well dry up.

His storehouse will be plundered

of all its treasures.

16 The people of Samaria must bear their guilt,

because they have rebelled against their God.

They will fall by the sword;

their little ones will be dashed to the ground,

their pregnant women ripped open.”

12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;

his sin is kept in store.

13 The pangs of childbirth come for him,

but he is an unwise son,

for at the right time he does not present himself

at the opening of the womb.

14 I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol;

I shall redeem them from Death.

O Death, where are your plagues?

O Sheol, where is your sting?

Compassion is hidden from my eyes.

15 Though he may flourish among his brothers,

the east wind, the wind of the Lord, shall come,

rising from the wilderness,

and his fountain shall dry up;

his spring shall be parched;

it shall strip his treasury

of every precious thing.

16  Samaria shall bear her guilt,

because she has rebelled against her God;

they shall fall by the sword;

their little ones shall be dashed in pieces,

and their pregnant women ripped open.

12 “Ephraim’s guilt has been collected,

and his sin has been stored up for punishment.

13 Pain has come to the people

like the pain of childbirth,

but they are like a child

who resists being born.

The moment of birth has arrived,

but they stay in the womb!

14 “Should I ransom them from the grave?

Should I redeem them from death?

O death, bring on your terrors!

O grave, bring on your plagues!

For I will not take pity on them.

15 Ephraim was the most fruitful of all his brothers,

but the east wind—a blast from the Lord—

will arise in the desert.

All their flowing springs will run dry,

and all their wells will disappear.

Every precious thing they own

will be plundered and carried away.

16  The people of Samaria

must bear the consequences of their guilt

because they rebelled against their God.

They will be killed by an invading army,

their little ones dashed to death against the ground,

their pregnant women ripped open by swords.”

12 “The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;

His sin is stored up.

13 The sorrows of a woman in childbirth shall come upon him.

He is an unwise son,

For he should not stay long where children are born.

14 “I will ransom them from the power of the grave;

I will redeem them from death.

O Death, I will be your plagues!

O Grave, I will be your destruction!

Pity is hidden from My eyes.

15 Though he is fruitful among his brethren,

An east wind shall come;

The wind of the Lord shall come up from the wilderness.

Then his spring shall become dry,

And his fountain shall be dried up.

He shall plunder the treasury of every desirable prize.

16 Samaria is held guilty,

For she has rebelled against her God.

They shall fall by the sword,

Their infants shall be dashed in pieces,

And their women with child ripped open.

12 The sins of Israel are on record,

stored away, waiting for punishment.

13 The pain of birth will come for him,

but he is like a foolish baby

who won’t come out of its mother’s womb.

14 Will I save them from the place of the dead?

Will I rescue them from death?

Where is your sickness, death?

Where is your pain, place of death?

I will show them no mercy.

15 Israel is doing well among the nations,

but the Lord will send a wind from the east,

coming from the desert,

that will dry up his springs and wells of water.

He will destroy from their treasure houses everything of value.

16 The nation of Israel will be ruined,

because it fought against God.

The people of Israel will die in war;

their children will be torn to pieces,

and their pregnant women will be ripped open.”

12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is laid up in store. 13 The 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. 14 I 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.

15 Though 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. 16 Samaria 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.

12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is laid by in store. 13 The pangs of a woman in travail shall come upon him: he is a son not wise; for at the time of the breaking forth of children, he was not there. 14 I will ransom them from the power of Sheol. I will redeem them from death: where, O death, are thy plagues? where, O Sheol, is thy destruction? Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. 15 Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, a wind of Jehovah that cometh up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels. 16 Samaria 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.

12 “Ephraim’s wickedness is on record. 

The record of the people’s sins is safely stored away. 

13 They have the opportunity to live again, 

but they are not smart enough to take it. 

They are like a baby who is about to be born 

but won’t come out of its mother’s womb. 

14 “I want to free them from the power of the grave. 

I want to reclaim them from death. 

Death, I want to be a plague to you. 

Grave, I want to destroy you.

I won’t even think of changing my plans.” 

15 The people of Ephraim have become important among their relatives. 

However, the Lord’s scorching wind will come from the east. 

It will blow out of the desert. 

Then their springs will run dry, 

and their wells will dry up. 

The wind will destroy every precious thing in their storehouses.

16 The people of Samaria are guilty as charged 

because they rebelled against their God. 

They will be killed in war, 

their children will be smashed to death, 

and their pregnant women will be ripped open. 

12 Ephraim’s guilt is preserved;

his sin is stored up.

13 Labor pains come on him.

He is not a wise son;

when the time comes,

he will not be born.

14 I will ransom them from the power of Sheol.

I will redeem them from death.

Death, where are your barbs?

Sheol, where is your sting?

Compassion is hidden from My eyes.

15 Although he flourishes among his brothers,

an east wind will come,

a wind from the Lord rising up from the desert.

His water source will fail,

and his spring will run dry.

The wind will plunder the treasury

of every precious item.

16 Samaria will bear her guilt

because she has rebelled against her God.

They will fall by the sword;

their little ones will be dashed to pieces,

and their pregnant women ripped open.

12 Ephraim’s iniquity is bound up;

his sin is kept in store.

13 The pangs of childbirth come for him,

but he is an unwise son,

for at the proper time he does not present himself

at the mouth of the womb.

14 Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol?

Shall I redeem them from Death?

O Death, where are your plagues?

O Sheol, where is your destruction?

Compassion is hidden from my eyes.

15 Although he may flourish among rushes,

the east wind shall come, a blast from the Lord,

rising from the wilderness,

and his fountain shall dry up;

his spring shall be parched.

It shall strip his treasury

of every precious thing.

16 Samaria shall bear her guilt

because she has rebelled against her God;

they shall fall by the sword;

their little ones shall be dashed in pieces,

and their pregnant women ripped open.

12 The sin of Ephraim is wrapped up;

his sin is concealed.

13 The labor pains of childbirth come for him;

he is an unwise son

because at the proper time, he does not present himself

at the mouth of the womb.

14 Should I redeem them from the power of Sheol?

Should I deliver them from death?

Where are your plagues, O Death?

Where is your destruction, O Sheol?

Compassion is hidden from my eyes.

15 Although he may flourish among reeds,

the east wind will come, a wind of Yahweh

rising from the desert;

his fountain will dry up,

his spring will be parched.

It will plunder his treasury,

every object of desire.

16  Samaria will be guilty,

because she has rebelled against her God;

they will fall by the sword,

their children will be dashed to pieces,

and their pregnant women will be ripped open.

12 Ephraim, your guilt is piling up.

I am keeping a record of all of your sins.

13 You will suffer pain like a woman having a baby.

You are like a foolish child.

It is time for you to be born.

But you refuse to come out of your mother’s body.

14 “I will set you free from the power of the grave.

I will save you from death.

Death, where are your plagues?

Grave, where is your power to destroy?

“Ephraim, I will no longer pity you.

15 Even though you are doing well among the other tribes,

trouble will come to you.

I will send a hot and dry wind from the east.

It will blow in from the desert.

Your springs will not have any water.

Your wells will dry up.

All of your treasures

will be taken out of your storerooms.

16 People of Samaria, you must pay for your sins.

You have refused to obey me.

You will be killed with swords.

Your little children will be smashed on the ground.

Your pregnant women will be ripped wide open.”

12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;

His sin is stored up.

13 The pains of childbirth come upon him;

He is not a wise son,

For it is not the time that he should delay at the opening of the womb.

14 Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol?

Shall I redeem them from death?

O Death, where are your thorns?

O Sheol, where is your sting?

Compassion will be hidden from My sight.

15 Though he flourishes among the reeds,

An east wind will come,

The wind of the Lord coming up from the wilderness;

And his fountain will become dry

And his spring will be dried up;

It will plunder his treasury of every precious article.

16 Samaria will be held guilty,

For she has rebelled against her God.

They will fall by the sword,

Their little ones will be dashed in pieces,

And their pregnant women will be ripped open.