1
When Ephraim[H669]spake[H1696]trembling[H7578], he exalted[H5375] himself in Israel[H3478]; but when he offended[H816] in Baal[H1168], he died[H4191].
2
And now they sin[H2398]more[H3254] and more[H3254], and have made[H6213] them molten images[H4541] of their silver[H3701], and idols[H6091] according to their own understanding[H8394], all of it the work[H4639] of the craftsmen[H2796]: they say[H559] of them, Let the men[H120] that sacrifice[H2076]kiss[H5401] the calves[H5695].
3
Therefore they shall be as the morning[H1242]cloud[H6051], and as the early[H7925]dew[H2919] that passeth away[H1980], as the chaff[H4671] that is driven with the whirlwind[H5590] out of the floor[H1637], and as the smoke[H6227] out of the chimney[H699].
4
Yet I am the LORD[H3068] thy God[H430] from the land[H776] of Egypt[H4714], and thou shalt know[H3045] no god[H430] but me[H2108]: for there is no saviour[H3467] beside me[H1115].
5
I did know[H3045] thee in the wilderness[H4057], in the land[H776] of great drought[H8514].
6
According to their pasture[H4830], so were they filled[H7646]; they were filled[H7646], and their heart[H3820] was exalted[H7311]; therefore have they forgotten[H7911] me.
7
Therefore I will be unto them as a lion[H7826]: as a leopard[H5246] by the way[H1870] will I observe[H7789] them:
8
I will meet[H6298] them as a bear[H1677] that is bereaved[H7909] of her whelps, and will rend[H7167] the caul[H5458] of their heart[H3820], and there will I devour[H398] them like a lion[H3833]: the wild[H7704]beast[H2416] shall tear[H1234] them.
9
O Israel[H3478], thou hast destroyed[H7843] thyself; but in me is thine help[H5828].
10
I will[H165] be thy king[H4428]: where[H645] is any other that may save[H3467] thee in all thy cities?[H5892] and thy judges[H8199] of whom thou saidst[H559], Give[H5414] me a king[H4428] and princes?[H8269]
11
I gave[H5414] thee a king[H4428] in mine anger[H639], and took[H3947] him away in my wrath[H5678].
12
The iniquity[H5771] of Ephraim[H669] is bound up[H6887]; his sin[H2403] is hid[H6845].
13
The sorrows[H2256] of a travailing woman[H3205] shall come[H935] upon him: he is an unwise[H2450]son[H1121]; for he should not stay[H5975]long[H6256] in the place of the breaking forth[H4866] of children[H1121].
14
I will[H165]ransom[H6299] them from the power[H3027] of the grave[H7585]; I will[H165]redeem[H1350] them from death[H4194]: O death[H4194], I will[H165] be thy plagues[H1698]; O grave[H7585], I will[H165] be thy destruction[H6987]: repentance[H5164] shall be hid[H5641] from mine eyes[H5869].
15
Though he be fruitful[H6500] among his brethren[H251], an east wind[H6921] shall come[H935], the wind[H7307] of the LORD[H3068] shall come[H935]up[H5927] from the wilderness[H4057], and his spring[H4726] shall become dry[H954], and his fountain[H4599] shall be dried up[H2717]: he shall spoil[H8154] the treasure[H214] of all pleasant[H2532]vessels[H3627].
16Samaria[H8111] shall become desolate[H816]; for she hath rebelled[H4784] against her God[H430]: they shall fall[H5307] by the sword[H2719]: their infants[H5768] shall be dashed in pieces[H7376], and their women with child[H2030] shall be ripped up[H1234].