HOSEA
Hosea 13 ©
Ephraim’s authority and excellence dies and vanishes through idolatry, v. 1, etc. A representation of God’s terrible anger, provoked by Ephraim’s base unthankfulness against their only and gracious Savior, from the beginning, 4. The cause of Israel’s corruption and the approaching miseries is idolatry, vain confidence and foolish impenitence, 9. Gracious Gospel promises for Ephraim after the foregoing destruction, 14.
WHEN1 Ephraim spake trembling, he 2exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in 3Baal, he 4died.
And now they sin more and more, and have made them 5molten images of their silver, and 6idols 7according to their own understanding, all of it the 8work of the craftsmen:a9they say of them, 10Let the men that sacrifice 11kiss the 12calves.
Therefore they shall be 13as 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 14chimney.
Yet 15I am the LORD thy God fromb the land of Egypt, 16and thou shalt know no god butc me: for there is no saviour beside me.
¶I did 17know thee in the wilderness, in the land of 18great drought.
According to their 19pasture,d so were they filled; they were filled, and their 20heart was exalted; therefore have they forgottene me.
Therefore I will be unto them as a 21lion: as a leopard by the way will I 22observe them:
I will 23meet them as a 24bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the 25caul of their heart, and 26there will I devour them like a lion: 27the wild beast shall tear them.
¶O Israel, 28thou hast destroyed thyself; but in 29me 30is thine help.
31I will be thy 32king: 33where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy 34judges of whom thou 35saidst, Give me a king and princes?
I gave thee a 36kingf in mine 37anger, and took 38him away in my wrath.
39The iniquity of Ephraim is 40bound up; his sin is hid.
41The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise 42son; 43for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.
44I will ransom them from the 45power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: Og death, 46I will be 47thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy 48destruction: 49repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
¶Though 50he be fruitful among his brethren, 51an 52east wind shall come, the wind 53of the LORD shall come up 54from the wilderness, and 55his 56spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: 57he shall spoil the treasure of all 58pleasant 59vessels.
60Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: 61they shall fall by the sword: their 62infants shall be dashedh in pieces, and 63their women with child shall be 64ripped up.