Hosea 13
13
1When Ephraim spoke, they were feared, for they were the leading tribe in Israel. But when they were guilty of Baal worship, they died. 2Now they constantly sin, making for themselves idols from molten metal. All of these idols are skillfully made from silver by their craftsmen. “Offer sacrifices to these idols,” say the people. “Kiss the bull calf idols.” 3Consequently they will be like the morning mist, like early morning dew, like chaff blowing away from the threshing floor, like smoke from a chimney.
4Yet I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. You shall know#13:4. A variation of the Ten Commandments with “know” replacing “have” (Exodus 20:3). This change is significant in that the word “know” carries overtones of intimate relations, and can be linked to the erotic nature of Baal worship. Israel should not be “knowing” Baal but the true God. no other gods but me. None can save you except me. 5I looked after you in the wilderness; in that dry desert land it was like pasture to them#13:5. “It was like pasture to them,” or “I fed them.” 6and they were satisfied. But when they were satisfied they became arrogant, and they forgot me.#13:6. See the warning that this could happen in Deuteronomy 8:11-14. 7So I will be like a lion to them, like a leopard I will lie in wait beside the path. 8I will be like a mother bear whose cubs have been taken, I will rip out their hearts. I shall devour them like a lion, like a wild beast I will tear them apart. 9You have destroyed yourselves, Israel, for your only help is in me. 10Where then is your king? Let him save you in all your cities! Where are your leaders who demanded a king and princes from me? 11In my anger I give you a king, and in my fury I take one.#13:11. The verb forms used here are not past tense, so the usual translation referring back to God's provision of King Saul in response to the people's demands is problematic here. Since Hosea is dealing with the present situation of the northern kingdom, one interpretation is that the king God is giving is the king of Assyria, and the one he is taking is the king of Israel. Though in the previous verse God does mention the people's previous demand for a king, he begins that verse with the current question, “Where then is your king?”
12Ephraim's guilt is packed up; their sin will be eradicated.#13:12. “Eradicated”: literally, “concealed.” What Hosea seems to be saying is that Israel's sins have come to the point that God has to take action by eliminating the problem by allowing invasion and exile. The worship of Baal has to be ended (“concealed”—but not in sense of it being simply hidden away and continuing). 13The pain of childbirth has come to them, trying to give birth to a son who is not “wise” because he is not in the right position when the time comes.#13:13. This could refer to the problems of a breech baby delivery in which both mother and baby could potentially die.
14I shall redeem them from the power of Sheol; I shall deliver them from death. Where, death, are your plagues? Where, Sheol, is your destruction? Compassion is hidden from my sight.
15Even though they flourish among the reeds,#13:15. Or “brothers.” an east wind will come, a wind from the Lord that rises in the desert will dry up their springs and their wells will fail. It will rob from their treasury everything of value.
16The people of Samaria will have to bear the consequences of their guilt, because they rebelled against their God. They will be slaughtered by the sword; their children will be dashed to the ground; their pregnant women will be ripped open.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Hosea 13
13
The Utter Destruction of Ephraim Foretold
1When E´phra-im spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Ba´al, he died. 2And now they sin more and more, and have made them 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. 3Therefore they shall be as 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 chimney.
4Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me. 5#Deut 8.12-16. I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought. 6According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me. 7Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them: 8I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.
9O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. 10#1 Sam 8.5,6. I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? 11#1 Sam 10.17-24; 1 Sam 15.26. I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.
12The iniquity of E´phra-im is bound up; his sin is hid. 13The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children. 14#1 Cor 15.55. I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
15Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the Lord shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels. 16Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.