1
When◦ Ephraim spoke in horror◦, he◦ lifted· himself ·up in Israel; and he became··guilty in Baal, and he died.
2
And now they add to sin, and have made for themselves 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.
3
Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the dew rising··early and going◦, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind from the threshing··floor, and as the smoke from a chimney.
4
And I▵ am Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt not know a God except Me; and there is no saviour except▵ Me.
5
I◦ did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.
6
According··to their pasture, so were they satisfied; they were satisfied, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten Me.
7
And I will be to them as▵ a lion◦; as a leopard by◦ the way will I observe◦ them:
8
I will encounter them as a bear bereaved, and will rend the enclosure of their heart, and there will I devour them as an old··lion; the wild··animal of the field shall rip them.
9
O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but◦ in Me is thy 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 didst say, Give to me a king and princes?
11
I gave thee a king in My anger, and took him away in My wrath.
12
The iniquity of Ephraim is bundled; his sin is kept··secret.
13
The pangs of her who gives··birth shall come to him; he◦ is a son not wise; for he stands not even for a time in the breaking forth* of sons.
14
I will ransom them from the hand of hell; I will redeem them from death; O death, I··will··be thy pestilences; O hell, I··will··be thy destruction◦: repentance shall be hidden from My eyes.
15
For between the brothers, he◦ shall be as a wild··ass; an east··wind shall come, the wind of Jehovah shall come··up from the wilderness, and his spring shall dry··up, and his fountain shall be wasted; He◦ shall pillage the treasure of all the vessels of desire.
16
14:1 Samaria shall be··guilty; for she has rebelled against◦ her God; they shall fall by the sword: their babes shall be dashed, and their pregnant women shall be ripped··open.
