1 W hen Ephraim spoke, men shook in fear. He was honored in Israel. But he sinned by worshiping Baal, and died.

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

2 A nd now they sin more and more. They make false gods for themselves. Their able workmen make them out of silver. And they say, “Let the men who give gifts in worship kiss the calf-gods!”

And 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!

3 S o they will be like the morning cloud, and like the water on the grass in the early morning which is soon gone. They will be like the dust of the grain that is blown away from the grain-floor, and like smoke from a fire.

Therefore 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.

4 “ I am the Lord your God Who brought you out of Egypt. You were not to know any god but Me, for there is no one who can save you but Me.

Yet 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.

5 I cared for you in the desert, in the land where there was no water.

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

6 W hen I fed them, they were filled. And when they were filled, their heart became proud and they forgot Me.

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

7 S o I will be like a lion to them. I will lie in wait by the road like a leopard.

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

8 I will fight them like a bear robbed of her young ones. I will tear open their chests. I will eat them there like a female lion, and tear them like a wild animal.

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.

9 “ I will destroy you, O Israel, because you are against Me, against your Helper.

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

10 W here is your king, that he may save you? Where are your rulers in all your cities, of whom you said, ‘Give me a king and leaders’?

Where 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?

11 I gave you a king in My anger, and in My anger I took him away.

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

12 “ The wrong-doing of Ephraim is being kept. His sin is being stored up.

The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is laid up in store.

13 T he pains like a woman giving birth will come upon him, but he is not a wise son. He is not willing to be born.

The 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.

14 I will pay the price to free them from the power of the grave. I will save them from death. O Death, where are your thorns? O Grave, where is your power to destroy? I will have no loving-pity.

Should 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.

15 “ Even if he grows among his brothers, an east wind will come. The wind of the Lord will come from the desert. And his well will dry up. His water will be gone. It will take away everything of much worth.

For 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.

16 S amaria will suffer for her guilt, for she has not wanted to obey her God. They will be killed by the sword. Their little ones will be crushed in pieces. And their women who are soon to give birth will be torn open.”

Samaria 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.