1 W hen Ephraim spoke with trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended and became guilty in Baal worship, he died.

When Ephraim speaketh tremblingly, He hath been lifted up in Israel, When he becometh guilty in Baal he dieth.

2 A nd now they sin more and more and have made for themselves molten images of their silver, even idols according to their own understanding, all of them the work of the craftsmen. To these they speak or pray who sacrifice to them; they kiss and show homage to the calves!

And now do they add to sin, And make to them a molten image of their silver, By their own understanding -- idols, A work of artizans -- all of it, Of them they say, who sacrificers among men, `The calves let them kiss.'

3 T herefore they shall be like the morning mist or like the dew that passes early away, like the chaff that swirls with the whirlwind from the threshing floor and as the smoke out of the chimney or through the window.

Therefore they are as a cloud of the morning, And as dew, rising early, going away, As chaff tossed about out of a floor, And as smoke out of a window.

4 Y et I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt, and you shall know or recognize no God but Me, for there is no Savior besides Me.

And I Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt, And a God besides Me thou dost not know, And a Saviour -- there is none save Me.

5 I knew (recognized, understood, and had regard for) you in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.

I -- I have known thee in a wilderness, In a land of droughts.

6 A ccording to their pasture, so were they filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore have they forgotten Me.

According to their feedings they are satiated, They have been satiated, And their heart is lifted up, Therefore they have forgotten Me,

7 T herefore I have become to them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk by the way and watch them.

And I am to them as a lion, As a leopard by the way I look out.

8 I will meet them like a bear that is robbed of her cubs, and I will rend the covering of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lioness, as a wild beast would tear them.

I do meet them as a bereaved bear, And I rend the enclosure of their heart.

9 I t is your destruction, O Israel, that you have been against Me, for in Me is your help.

And I consume them there as a lioness, A beast of the field doth rend them.

10 W here now is your king that he may save you in all your cities? And your judges of whom you said, Give me a king and princes?

Thou hast destroyed thyself, O Israel, But in Me thy help, Where thy king now -- And he doth save thee in all thy cities? And thy judges of whom thou didst say, `Give to me a king and heads?'

11 I have given you a king in My anger, and I have taken him away in My wrath.

I give to thee a king in Mine anger, And I take away in My wrath.

12 T he iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is laid up in store.

Bound up the iniquity of Ephraim, Hidden his sin,

13 T he pains of a woman in childbirth are coming on for him; but he is an unwise son, for now when it is time, he comes not to the place where children break forth.

Pangs of a travailing woman come to him, He a son not wise, For he remaineth not the time for the breaking forth of sons.

14 S hould I ransom them from the power of Sheol (the place of the dead)? Should I redeem them from death? O death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your destruction? Relenting and compassion are hidden from My eyes.

From the hand of Sheol I do ransom them, From death I redeem them, Where thy plague, O death? Where thy destruction, O Sheol? Repentance is hid from Mine eyes.

15 F or though among his brethren he may be fruitful, an east wind will come, the breath of the Lord rising from the desert; and Ephraim’s spring shall become dry and his fountain be dried up. shall plunder his treasury of every precious vessel.

Though he among brethren produceth fruit, Come in doth an east wind, a wind of Jehovah, From a wilderness it is coming up, And it drieth up his fountain, And become dry doth his spring, It -- it spoileth a treasure -- every desirable vessel.

16 S amaria shall bear her guilt and become desolate, for she rebelled against her God; they shall fall by the sword, their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women shall be ripped up.

Become desolate doth Samaria, Because she hath rebelled against her God, By sword they do fall, Their sucklings are dashed in pieces, And its pregnant ones are ripped up!