13 When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.

And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.

Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.

I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.

According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.

Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them:

I 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 lion: the wild beast shall tear them.

O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.

10 I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?

11 I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.

12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid.

13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.

14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

15 Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the Lord shall come 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 become desolate; 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.

14 O israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.

Asshur 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.

I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.

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

13 1 The abomination of Israel, 9 and cause of their destruction.

When Ephraim spake, there was [a]trembling: he [b]exalted himself in Israel, but he hath sinned in Baal, [c]and is dead.

And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding: they were all the work of the craftsmen: they say one to another while they sacrifice a [d]man, Let them kiss the calves.

Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the morning dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with a whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke that goeth out of the chimney.

Yet I am the Lord thy God [e]from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no God but me: for there is no Savior beside me.

I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of drought.

As in their pastures, so were they filled: they were filled, and their heart was exalted: therefore have they forgotten me.

And I will be unto them as a very lion, and as a leopard in the way of Assyria.

I will meet them, as a bear that is robbed of her whelps, and I will break the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beasts shall tear them.

O Israel, one [f]hath destroyed thee, but in me is thine help.

10 [g]I am: where is thy king that should help thee in all thy cities? and thy judges, of whom thou saidest, Give me a king and princes?

11 I gave thee a king in mine anger, and I took him away in my wrath.

12 The iniquity of Ephraim is [h]bound up: his sin is hid.

13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son, else would he not stand still at the time, even at the [i]breaking forth of the children.

14 I will redeem them from the power of the grave: I will deliver them from death: O [j]death, I will be thy death: O grave, I will be thy destruction: [k]repentance is hid from mine eyes.

15 Though he grew up among his brethren, an East wind shall come, even the wind of the Lord shall come up from the wilderness, and dry up his vein, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.

14 1 The destruction of Samaria. 2 He exhorteth Israel to turn to God, who requireth praise and thanks.

Samaria shall be desolate: 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.

O Israel, [l]return unto the Lord thy God: for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

Take unto you words, and turn to the Lord, and say unto him, [m]Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our [n]lips.

Assyria shall [o]not save us, neither will we ride upon horses, neither will we say anymore to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

[p]I will heal their rebellion: I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily and fasten his roots, as the trees of Lebanon.

His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

They that dwell under his [q]shadow, shall return: they shall revive as the corn, and flourish as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

Ephraim shall say, What have I to do anymore with idols? I [r]have heard him, and looked upon him: I am like a green fir tree: upon me is thy fruit found.

10 Who is [s]wise, and he shall understand these things? and prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are righteous and the just shall walk in them: but the wicked shall fall therein.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 13:1 He showeth the excellency and authority that this tribe had above all the rest.
  2. Hosea 13:1 He made a king of his tribe.
  3. Hosea 13:1 The Ephraimites are not far from destruction, and have lost their authority.
  4. Hosea 13:2 The false prophets persuaded the idolaters to offer their children after the example of Abraham, and he showeth how they would exhort one another to the same, and to kiss and worship these calves which were their idols.
  5. Hosea 13:4 He calleth them to repentance, and reproveth their ingratitude.
  6. Hosea 13:9 Thy destruction is certain, and my benefits toward thee declare that it cometh not of me: therefore thine own malice, idolatry and vain confidence in men must needs be the cause thereof.
  7. Hosea 13:10 I am all one, James 1:17.
  8. Hosea 13:12 It is surely laid up to be punished, as Jer. 17:1.
  9. Hosea 13:13 But would come out of the womb, that is out of this dangers wherein he is and not to tarry to be stifled.
  10. Hosea 13:14 Meaning, that no power shall resist God when he will deliver his, but even in death will he give them life.
  11. Hosea 13:14 Because they will not turn to me, I will change my purpose.
  12. Hosea 14:2 He exhorteth them to repentance to avoid all these plagues, willing them to declare by words their obedience and repentance.
  13. Hosea 14:3 He showeth them how they ought to confess their sins.
  14. Hosea 14:3 Declaring that this is the true sacrifice, that the faithful can offer, even thanks and praise, Heb. 13:15.
  15. Hosea 14:4 We will leave off all vain confidence and pride.
  16. Hosea 14:5 He declareth how ready God is to receive them that do repent.
  17. Hosea 14:8 Whosoever join themselves to this people, shall be blessed.
  18. Hosea 14:9 God showeth how prompt he is to hear his, when they repent, and to offer himself, as a protection and safeguard unto them, as a most sufficient fruit and profit.
  19. Hosea 14:10 Signifying, that the true wisdom and knowledge consisteth in this even to rest upon God.

The Lord’s Anger Against Israel

13 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 craftsmen.(F)
It is said of these people,
    “They offer human sacrifices!
    They kiss[a](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 acknowledge(N) 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 be like a lion(U) to them,
    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)
10 Where is your king,(AA) that he may save you?
    Where are your rulers in all your towns,
of whom you said,
    ‘Give me a king and princes’?(AB)
11 So in my anger I gave you a king,(AC)
    and in my wrath I took him away.(AD)
12 The guilt of Ephraim is stored up,
    his sins are kept on record.(AE)
13 Pains as of a woman in childbirth(AF) come to him,
    but he is a child without wisdom;
when the time(AG) arrives,
    he doesn’t have the sense to come out of the womb.(AH)

14 “I will deliver this people from the power of the grave;(AI)
    I will redeem them from death.(AJ)
Where, O death, are your plagues?
    Where, O grave, is your destruction?(AK)

“I will have no compassion,
15     even though he thrives(AL) among his brothers.
An east wind(AM) from the Lord will come,
    blowing in from the desert;
his spring will fail
    and his well dry up.(AN)
His storehouse will be plundered(AO)
    of all its treasures.
16 The people of Samaria(AP) must bear their guilt,(AQ)
    because they have rebelled(AR) against their God.
They will fall by the sword;(AS)
    their little ones will be dashed(AT) to the ground,
    their pregnant women(AU) ripped open.”[b]

Repentance to Bring Blessing

14 [c]Return,(AV) Israel, to the Lord your God.
    Your sins(AW) have been your downfall!(AX)
Take words with you
    and return to the Lord.
Say to him:
    “Forgive(AY) all our sins
and receive us graciously,(AZ)
    that we may offer the fruit of our lips.[d](BA)
Assyria cannot save us;(BB)
    we will not mount warhorses.(BC)
We will never again say ‘Our gods’(BD)
    to what our own hands have made,(BE)
    for in you the fatherless(BF) find compassion.”

“I will heal(BG) their waywardness(BH)
    and love them freely,(BI)
    for my anger has turned away(BJ) from them.
I will be like the dew(BK) to Israel;
    he will blossom like a lily.(BL)
Like a cedar of Lebanon(BM)
    he will send down his roots;(BN)
    his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,(BO)
    his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.(BP)
People will dwell again in his shade;(BQ)
    they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom(BR) like the vine—
    Israel’s fame will be like the wine(BS) of Lebanon.(BT)
Ephraim, what more have I[e] to do with idols?(BU)
    I will answer him and care for him.
I am like a flourishing juniper;(BV)
    your fruitfulness comes from me.”

Who is wise?(BW) Let them realize these things.
    Who is discerning? Let them understand.(BX)
The ways of the Lord are right;(BY)
    the righteous walk(BZ) in them,
    but the rebellious stumble in them.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 13:2 Or “Men who sacrifice / kiss
  2. Hosea 13:16 In Hebrew texts this verse (13:16) is numbered 14:1.
  3. Hosea 14:1 In Hebrew texts 14:1-9 is numbered 14:2-10.
  4. Hosea 14:2 Or offer our lips as sacrifices of bulls
  5. Hosea 14:8 Or Hebrew; Septuagint What more has Ephraim