Hosea 13–14

The Lord’s Anger Against Israel

When Ephraim spoke, people trembled;^a

he was exalted^b in Israel.

But he became guilty of Baal worship^c and died.

Now they sin more and more;

they make^d idols for themselves from their silver,^e

cleverly fashioned images,

all of them the work of skilled hands.^f

It is said of them,

“They offer human sacrifices!

They kiss^g calf-idols!^h”

Therefore they will be like the morning mist,

like the early dew that disappears,ⁱ

like chaff^j swirling from a threshing floor,^k

like smoke^l escaping through a window.

“But I have been the Lord your God

ever since you came out of Egypt.^m

You shall acknowledgeⁿ no God but me,^o

no Savior^p except me.

I cared for you in the wilderness,^q

in the land of burning heat.

When I fed them, they were satisfied;

when they were satisfied, they became proud;^r

then they forgot^s me.^t

So I will come upon them like a lion,^u

like a leopard I will lurk by the path.

Like a bear robbed of her cubs,^v

I will attack them and rip them open;

like a lion^w I will devour them—

a wild animal will tear them apart.^x

“You are destroyed, Israel,

because you are against me,^y against your helper.^z

Where is your king,^a that he may save you?

Where are your rulers in all your towns,

of whom you said,

‘Give me a king and princes’?^b

So in my anger I gave you a king,^c

and in my wrath I took him away.^d

The guilt of Ephraim is stored up,

his sins are kept on record.^e

Pains as of a woman in childbirth^f come to him,

but he is a child without wisdom;

when the time^g arrives,

he does not come to the opening of the womb.^h

“I will deliver them from the power of the grave;ⁱ

I will redeem them from death.^j

Where, O death, are your plagues?

Where, O grave, is your destruction?^k

“I will have no compassion,

even though he thrives^l among his brothers.

An east wind^m from the Lord will come,

blowing in from the desert;

his spring will fail

and his well dry up.ⁿ

His storehouse will be plundered^o

of all its treasures.

^*The people of Samaria^p must bear their guilt,^q

because they have rebelled^r against their God.

They will fall by the sword;^s

their little ones will be dashed^t to the ground,

their pregnant women^u ripped open.”

Repentance to Bring Blessing

^*Return,^a Israel, to the Lord your God.

Your sins^b have been your downfall!^c

Take words with you

and return to the Lord.

Say to him:

“Forgive^d all our sins

and receive us graciously,^e

that we may offer the fruit of our lips.^f

Assyria cannot save us;^g

we will not mount warhorses.^h

We will never again say ‘Our gods’ⁱ

to what our own hands have made,^j

for in you the fatherless^k find compassion.”

“I will heal^l their waywardness^m

and love them freely,ⁿ

for my anger has turned away^o from them.

I will be like the dew^p to Israel;

he will blossom like a lily.^q

Like a cedar of Lebanon^r

he will send down his roots;^s

his young shoots will grow.

His splendor will be like an olive tree,^t

his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.^u

People will dwell again in his shade;^v

they will flourish like the grain,

they will blossom^w like the vine—

Israel’s fame will be like the wine^x of Lebanon.^y

Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols?^z

I will answer him and care for him.

I am like a flourishing juniper;^a

your fruitfulness comes from me.”

Who is wise?^b Let them realize these things.

Who is discerning? Let them understand.^c

The ways of the Lord are right;^d

the righteous walk^e in them,

but the rebellious stumble in them.