¹When Ephraim spoke of trembling,

He carried weight in Israel,

But he became guilty with Baal

And died.

²And now they are sinning more,

And they have made a cast image for themselves from their silver

According to their understanding

– Idols, all of it the work of artificers.

To them they say,

“Let those who sacrifice men kiss the calves.”

³Therefore they shall be like the cloud in the morning,

And like the early dew which evaporates;

Like chaff blown away from the threshing floor,

And like smoke from a chimney.

⁴But I am the Lord your God,

From the land of Egypt.

And you will know no gods besides me,

And that there is no saviour except me.

⁵I knew you in the desert,

In the land of drought.

⁶Such was their pasture

That they were satisfied.

They were satisfied,

And their heart was lifted.

That is why they forgot me.

⁷And I was to them like a lion;

I will watch like a leopard by the wayside.

⁸I will come against them like a bear bereaved of cubs,

And I will tear the enclosure of their heart,

And I will devour them there like a lion;

A wild animal will tear them in pieces.

⁹It has ruined you, Israel,

For you are against me

– Against your helper.

¹⁰I will be your king.

Where is he who can save you in all your cities,

And your rulers regarding whom you said,

“Give me a king and princes”?

¹¹I gave you a king in my anger,

And I took one away in my wrath.

¹²The iniquity of Ephraim is stowed away;

His sin is hidden away.

¹³The birth pangs of one bearing a child will come upon him.

He is not a wise son,

For time will not stand still

When it comes to the sons breaking out of the womb.

¹⁴I will deliver them from the power of the grave;

I will redeem them from death.

Repentance will be hidden from my eyes.

¹⁵For he will be fruitful among his brothers,

But then an east wind will come

– An almighty wind will come up from the desert.

And his fount will become dry,

And his spring will dry up.

He shall plunder the treasury of every precious object.

¹⁶Samaria will bear her guilt,

For she has rebelled against her God.

They will fall by the sword.

Their children will be torn apart,

And his pregnant women will be ripped open.

Reference(s) in Chapter 13: v.14 ↔ 1 Corinthians 15:55.