When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling.
He exalted himself in Israel,
But when he became guilty in Baal, he died.
2Now they sin more and more,
And have made themselves cast metal images of their silver,
Even idols according to their own understanding,
All of them the work of the craftsmen.
They say of them, “They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calves.”
3Therefore they will be like the morning cloud,
And like the dew that passes away early,
Like the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the threshing floor,
And like the smoke out of the chimney.
4“Yet I am YAHWEH1 your God2 from the land of Egypt;
And you will know no god but me,
And besides me there is no Saviour.
5I knew you 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 they have forgotten me.
7Therefore I am to them like a lion;
Like a leopard I will lurk by the path.
8I will meet them like a bear that is bereaved of her cubs,
And will tear the covering of their heart.
And there I will devour them like a lioness.
The wild animal will tear them.
9You are destroyed, Israel, because you are against me,
Against your help.
10Where is your king now, that he may save you in all your cities?
And your judges, of whom you said, ‘Give me a king and princes’?
11I have given you a king in my anger,
And have taken him away in my wrath.
12The guilt of Ephraim is stored up.
His sin is stored up.
13The sorrows of a woman in labour will come on him.
He is an unwise son;
For when it is time, he does not come to the opening of the womb.
14I will ransom them from the power of the grave.
I will redeem them from death!
Death, where are your plagues?
Grave, where is your destruction?3
“Compassion will be hidden from my eyes.
15Though he is fruitful among his brothers, an east wind will come,
The breath of YAHWEH coming up from the wilderness;
And his spring will become dry,
And his fountain will be dried up.
He will plunder the storehouse of treasure.
16Samaria will bear her guilt;
For she has rebelled against her God.
They will fall by the sword.
Their infants will be dashed in pieces,
And their pregnant women will be ripped open.”
- 13:4 YAHWEH, the name God revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.” ↩︎
- 13:4 God, English translation of elohim. Elohim (Hebrew) is related to allah (Arabic) and alaha (Syriac), all of which translate as “God,” and refer to the one true God. ↩︎
- 13:14 Quoted in the Injil, 1 Corinthians 15:55 as part of a teaching on the victory over death given to followers of Prophet ‘ISA. 1 Corinthians 15:54-56 says: But when this corruptible will have put on incorruption, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord ‘ISA AL-MASIH. ↩︎