= DASV: Digital American Standard Version<= br>
= &nb= sp; = DASV: Hosea 1

¹ The word o= f the LORD came to Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, a= nd Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, kin= g of Israel.

² When the L= ORD spoke at first by Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, "Go, marry a prostitute and= have children with this whore, for the land commits prostitution by forsaking the LORD."

³ So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

⁴ Then the L= ORD said to him, "Call his name Jezreel; for in a little while I will puni= sh the house of Jehu for bloodshed at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdo= m of the house of Israel.

⁵ In that da= y, I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel."

⁶ She conceived again and bore a daughter. = Then the LORD said to him, "Call her name Lo-ruhamah [meaning, 'No pity']; = for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel, that I should forgive th= em.

⁷ But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God. I will not save them by bow, sword, battle, horses, or by horsemen."

⁸ Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bore a son.

⁹ Then the L= ORD said, "Call his name Lo-ammi [meaning, 'Not my people']; for you are not my people, and I will not be your God.

¹⁰ Yet the nu= mber of the children of Israel will be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. In the = place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' it will be said to them= , 'You are the children of the living God.'

¹¹ Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel will be gathered together.

They will appoint themselves one head, and return to the land from exil= e; for the day of Jezreel will be great.

= &nb= sp; = DASV: Hosea 2

¹ Say to you= r brothers, 'Ammi,' [my people] and to your sisters, 'Ruhamah' [pity].

² Plead with your mother, plead,

&nb= sp; for she is not my wife,

&nb= sp; = and I am not her husband.

She must put away her pr= ostitutions from her face,

&nb= sp; and her adulteries from between her breasts.

³ Otherwise = I will strip her naked,

&nb= sp; as the day that she was born.

I will turn her in= to a wilderness,

&nb= sp; and turn her into a desert land,

&nb= sp; = and slay her with thirst.

⁴ I will hav= e no pity on her children,

&nb= sp; for they are children of adultery.

⁵ Their moth= er has played the prostitute;

&nb= sp; she who conceived them has acted shamefully;

for she said= , 'I will pursue my lovers,

&nb= sp; who give me my bread and my water,

&nb= sp; my wool and my flax, my olive oil and my drink.'

⁶ Therefore,= I will fence her in with thorns,

&nb= sp; and I will build a wall to fence her in

&nb= sp; so that she cannot find her paths.

⁷ Then she w= ill pursue her lovers,

&nb= sp; but she will not catch them.

She will seek them,

&nb= sp; but will not be able to find them.

Then she will say,= 'I will go back to my first husband,

&nb= sp; for I was better back then than now.'

⁸ For she ha= d no clue that I was the one

&nb= sp; who gave her the grain, new wine and olive oil,

&nb= sp; and multiplied her silver and gold,

&nb= sp; = which they used for Baal.

⁹ Therefore = I will take back my grain in its time,

&nb= sp; and my new wine in its season.

I will take away m= y wool and my flax

&nb= sp; which were given to cover her nakedness.

¹⁰ Now I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers,

&nb= sp; and no one will rescue her out of my hand.

¹¹ I will als= o put an end to all her partying,

&nb= sp; her feasts, her new moons, and her Sabbaths,

&nb= sp; = all her appointed festivals.

¹² I will des= troy her vines and her fig trees, of which she claimed,

&nb= sp; 'These are my wages that my lovers have given me.'

&nb= sp; But I will turn them into a forest,

&nb= sp; = and the beasts of the field will devour them.

¹³ I will pun= ish her for the festival days of the Baals,
&= nbsp; when she burned incense,

when s= he decked herself with her earrings and jewels,

&nb= sp; and went after her lovers,

&nb= sp; and forgot me," declares the LORD.

¹⁴ "Ther= efore, I will allure her,

&nb= sp; and bring her into the wilderness,

&nb= sp; = and speak kindly to her.

¹⁵ From there= I will give her back her vineyards,

&nb= sp; and turn the Valley of Achor [trouble] into a door of hope. <= /p>

There she wi= ll respond, as in the days of her youth,

&nb= sp; and as on the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.<= /p>

¹⁶ It will be in that day," says the LO= RD,
&= nbsp; "that you will call me 'My husband,'

&nb= sp; and will no longer call me 'My master.'

¹⁷ For I will take away the names of the Baals out of her mouth,

&nb= sp; and they will no longer be mentioned by name.

¹⁸ In that da= y I will make a covenant

with the beasts of the field,

&nb= sp; and with the birds of the air,

&nb= sp; and with the creatures that creep on the ground.

I will= abolish the bow, the sword and battle out of the land,

&nb= sp; and will let them lie down in security.

¹⁹ I will bet= roth you to me forever.

&nb= sp; I will take you as my wife in righteousness,

&nb= sp; = justice, loyal love, and compassion.

²⁰ I will take you as my wife in faithfulness,

&nb= sp; and you will know the LORD.

²¹ In that day, I will respond," says t= he LORD,

&nb= sp; "I will respond to the heavens,

&nb= sp; = and they will respond to the earth;

²² and the ea= rth will respond with grain, new wine, and olive oil,

&nb= sp; and they will respond to Jezreel.

²³ Then I wil= l plant her for myself in the land;

&nb= sp; I will have pity on Lo-Ruhamah [no-pity];

I will say t= o Lo-Ammi [not my people],

&nb= sp; 'you are my people;'

and th= ey will reply, 'You are my God.'"

= &nb= sp; = DASV: Hosea 4

¹ Hear the w= ord of the LORD, you Israelites,

&nb= sp; for the LORD has a legal case

&nb= sp; = against the inhabitants of the land,

because there is no truth, loyalty,

&nb= sp; or knowledge of God in the land.

² There is o= nly swearing and lying,

&nb= sp; murder, stealing, and adultery;

nothing but bloodshed after bloodshed.

³ Therefore = the land will mourn,

&nb= sp; and every one who lives there will waste away,

with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air;

&nb= sp; even the fish of the sea will be hauled away.

⁴ Let no one= make an accusation or rebuke;

&nb= sp; for your people are like those who bring

&nb= sp; = a case against a priest.

⁵ You will stumble in the day,

&nb= sp; and the prophet will stumble with you in the night,

&nb= sp; = and I will destroy your mother.

⁶ My people = are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

&nb= sp; Because you have rejected knowledge,

&nb= sp; = I will also reject you as my priests.

&nb= sp; Since you have forgotten the law of your God.

&nb= sp; = I also will forget your children.

⁷ The more t= hey multiplied,

&nb= sp; the more they sinned against me;

they changed= their glory into shame.

⁸ They feed = on the sin of my people,

&nb= sp; and are greedy for their iniquity.

⁹ It will be: like people, like priest.

&nb= sp; So I will punish them for their ways,

&nb= sp; = and will repay them for their actions.

¹⁰ They will = eat, and not have enough;

&nb= sp; they will play the harlot, and will not increase;

becaus= e they have forsaken the LORD

¹¹ to devote themselves to prostitution

&nb= sp; with old wine and new that enslave the heart.

¹² My people = ask counsel from their wooden idols,

&nb= sp; and their diviner's rod tells them what to do;

for the spir= it of prostitution has led them astray,

&nb= sp; and they have played the prostitute,

&nb= sp; = deserting their God.

¹³ They sacri= fice on the mountaintops

&nb= sp; and burn offerings on the hills,

under oaks, poplars and terebinths,

&nb= sp; because their shade is good.

Theref= ore your own daughters play the prostitute,

&nb= sp; and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

¹⁴ I will not punish your daughters when they play the prostitute,

&nb= sp; or your brides when they commit adultery.

For the men = themselves consort with prostitutes,

&nb= sp; and they sacrifice with the shrine prostitutes;

so the people who do not understand will come to ruin.

¹⁵ Though you, Israel, play the prostitute,

&nb= sp; yet do not let Judah become guilty.

Do not go to Gilgal,

&nb= sp; or go up to Beth-aven [house of wickedness],

&nb= sp; = and swear, "As the LORD lives."

¹⁶ For Israel= is as stubborn as a stubborn heifer.

Should the L= ORD now put them out to graze

&nb= sp; like a lamb in a large field?

¹⁷ Ephraim is joined to idols;

&nb= sp; leave him alone.

¹⁸ Their drin= ks are gone;

&nb= sp; they engage in cult prostitution;

&nb= sp; = their rulers dearly love shame.

¹⁹ The wind h= as wrapped them up in its wings,

&nb= sp; and their sacrifices will bring them shame.

= &nb= sp; = DASV: Hosea 5

¹ Hear this,= O priests,

&nb= sp; listen, O house of Israel,

&nb= sp; = and give ear, O house of the king;

&nb= sp; for this judgment is for you.

For yo= u have been a snare at Mizpah,

&nb= sp; and a net spread on Tabor.

² The rebels have gone deep into slaughter,

&nb= sp; but I will discipline them all.

³ I know Ephraim,

&nb= sp; and Israel is not hid from me;

for now, O Ephraim, you have played the prostitute;

&nb= sp; Israel is defiled.

⁴ Their deed= s will not allow them to return to their God;

&nb= sp; for the spirit of prostitution is within them,

&nb= sp; = and they do not know the LORD.

⁵ Israel's arrogance testifies against it;

&nb= sp; Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their guilt;

&nb= sp; = Judah also will stumble with them.

⁶ When they = go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD,

&nb= sp; they will not find him;

&nb= sp; = he has withdrawn himself from them.

⁷ They have = been unfaithful to the LORD,

&nb= sp; for they have borne illegitimate children.

Now th= eir new moon festivals will devour them

&nb= sp; along with their fields.

⁸ Blow the r= am's horn in Gibeah;

&nb= sp; sound the trumpet in Ramah;

shout the al= arm at Beth-aven;

&nb= sp; "We are behind you, O Benjamin."

⁹ Ephraim wi= ll be a horrible ruin in the day of punishment;

&nb= sp; among the tribes of Israel I make known what will certainly happen.

¹⁰ The prince= s of Judah are like those who remove the landmark;

&nb= sp; I will pour out my wrath on them like a flood.

¹¹ Ephraim is oppressed, he is crushed by judgment,

&nb= sp; because he was determined to pursue idols.

¹² Therefore I will be like a moth to Ephraim,

&nb= sp; and like rottenness to the house of Judah.

¹³ When Ephra= im saw his sickness,

&nb= sp; and Judah perceived his wound,

then Ephraim= went to Assyria,

&nb= sp; and sent to the great king.

= But he is not able to heal you,

&nb= sp; he cannot cure you of your wound.

¹⁴ For I will= be like a lion to Ephraim,

&nb= sp; and like a young lion to the house of Judah;

&nb= sp; I will tear them up

&nb= sp; = and then leave;

I will carry the= m off,

&nb= sp; = and there will be no one to rescue them.

¹⁵ I will ret= urn to my place,

&nb= sp; until they acknowledge their guilt,

&nb= sp; = and seek my face;

= in their affliction they will earnestly seek me."

= &nb= sp; = DASV: Hosea 6

¹ Come, and = let us return to the LORD;

&nb= sp; for he has torn us,

&nb= sp; = but he will heal us,

&nb= sp; he has injured us,

&nb= sp; = but he will bandage us up.

² After two = days he will revive us;

&nb= sp; on the third day he will raise us up,

&nb= sp; = and we will live before him.

³ Let us ack= nowledge him;

&nb= sp; let us pursue knowing the LORD;

he will come forth= as sure as the morning dawns;

&nb= sp; he will come to us as sure as the rain,

&nb= sp; = as the latter rain that waters the earth.

⁴ O Ephraim, what am I going to do with you?

&nb= sp; O Judah, what shall I do with you?

&nb= sp; For your loyal love is like a morning mist,

&nb= sp; = and like the early dew that vanishes away.

⁵ Therefore = I have cut them to pieces by the prophets;

&nb= sp; I have slain them by the words of my mouth;

&nb= sp; = my judgments shine forth like the light.

⁶ For I desi= re loyal love, and not sacrifice,

&nb= sp; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

⁷ But they a= t the town of Adam have broken the covenant;

&nb= sp; there they have been unfaithful to me.

⁸ Gilead is a city of evildoers;

&nb= sp; it is stained by bloody footprints.

⁹ As a gang = of thieves waits in ambush for their victim,

&nb= sp; so the gang of priests murder on the road to Shechem;

&nb= sp; = they have committed heinous crimes.

¹⁰ In the hou= se of Israel I have seen a horrible thing;

&nb= sp; there Ephraim practiced prostitution,

&nb= sp; = and Israel is defiled.

¹¹ O Judah, a harvest has been appointed for you too,

&nb= sp; when I restore the fortunes of my people.

= &nb= sp; = DASV: Hosea 7

¹ When I wan= ted to heal Israel,

&nb= sp; then the iniquity of Ephraim was revealed,

&nb= sp; as well as the wickedness of Samaria.

For they deal falsely;

&nb= sp; the thief breaks in;

&nb= sp; the gang of robbers pillage outside.

² They do not realize in their hearts

&nb= sp; that I remember all their wickedness.

Now their evil dee= ds have surrounded them;

&nb= sp; they are before my face.

³ They make = the king glad with their wickedness,

&nb= sp; the princes with their lies.

⁴ They are a= ll adulterers;

&nb= sp; they are like a heated oven,

whose fire t= he baker does not stir

&nb= sp; once the dough is kneaded until it is leavened.

⁵ On the fea= st day of our king

&nb= sp; the princes made themselves sick

&nb= sp; &= nbsp; inflamed with wine;

he stretched= out his hand with mockers.

⁶ For they h= ave kindled their hearts like an oven,

&nb= sp; while they plot against him;

their anger smolde= rs all night;

&nb= sp; in the morning it flares up like a flaming fire.

⁷ They are a= ll as hot as an oven;

&nb= sp; they devour their rulers.

All their ki= ngs have fallen;

&nb= sp; not one of them calls on me.

⁸ Ephraim mi= xes himself among the peoples;

&nb= sp; Ephraim is a half-burnt loaf not turned over.

⁹ Foreigners have devoured his strength,

&nb= sp; and he does not even realize it.

Gray hairs s= prinkle his head
&= nbsp; yet he does not even know it.

¹⁰ IsraelR= 17;s arrogance testifies against him,

yet they do not return to the LORD their God,

or seek him after all this.

¹¹ Ephraim is like a silly dove, without sense;

they call for help to Egypt,

then go to Assyria.

¹² When they = go, I will spread my net on them;

I will bring them down as the birds of the air; =

I will punish them, just as their assembly has heard.=

¹³ Woe to the= m! For they have deserted me.

Destruction to them! For they have rebelled against m= e.

Though I want to redeem them,

yet they speak lies against me.

¹⁴ They have = not cried out to me with their heart,

but they lie howling on their beds.

They r= itually slash themselves for grain and new wine;

they rebel against me.

¹⁵ Though I h= ave trained and strengthened their arms,

yet they plot evil against me.

¹⁶ They turn = to that which is of no benefit.

They are like a defective bow.

Their prince= s will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue.

This is what they will be ridiculed for in the land of Egypt.

= &nb= sp; = DASV: Hosea 8

¹ Set the trumpet to your lips.

One circles like a vulture over the house of the LORD= ,

becaus= e they have broken my covenant,

and rebelled against my law.

² They will = cry to me,
R= 20;My God, we from Israel know you.”

³ Israel has= rejected what is good;

so an enemy will pursue him.

⁴ They have = set up kings, without my permission;

they set up princes, but I did not approve.

From their s= ilver and gold they made idols

for their own destruction.

⁵ He has rej= ected your calf idol, O Samaria;

my anger burns against them;

how long wil= l they be incapable of innocence?

⁶ It is made= in Israel;

the craftsman built it,

and it= is not God;

the calf of Samaria will be smashed to pieces.

⁷ For they sow the wind, =

and they will reap the whirlwind. <= /p>

The stalks d= o not have heads of grain;

it will not yield meal;

= even if it did yield grain,

foreigners would swallow it up.

⁸ Israel is swallowed up;

now they are to the nations like a worthless pot.

⁹ For they h= ave gone up to Assyria,

like a wild donkey alone by itself;

Ephraim has hired lovers.

¹⁰ Even though they sold themselves among the nations,

I will now gather them;

they w= ill soon be crushed

under the oppression of a great king.

¹¹ Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for= sin offerings,

these altars have become places for sinning.

¹² I wrote for him many things in my law,

but they are regarded as something strange.

¹³ They offer sacrifices to me,

and they eat its meat;

but the LORD= does not accept them;

now = he will remember their iniquity,

and punish their sins.

They will return= to Egypt.

¹⁴ For Israel= has forgotten its Maker,

and built palaces.

Judah = has multiplied fortified cities;

but I will send a fire on its cities,

and it will devour its fortresses.

= &nb= sp; = DASV: Hosea 9

¹ Do not rej= oice O Israel,

&nb= sp; do not revel like the peoples;

for you have playe= d the prostitute,

&nb= sp; forsaking your God;

you ha= ve loved the wages of prostitution

&nb= sp; on every threshing floor.

² The thresh= ing floor and the winepress will not feed them,

&nb= sp; and the new wine will fail them.

³ They will = not remain in the LORD's land,

&nb= sp; but Ephraim will return to Egypt,

&nb= sp; = and they will eat unclean food in Assyria.

⁴ They will = not pour out wine offerings to the LORD,

&nb= sp; and their sacrifices will not be pleasing to him.

Their sacrif= ices will be like bread eaten while mourning;

&nb= sp; all who eat it will be ritually polluted.

Their = bread will be used only to satisfy their appetite;

&nb= sp; it will not come into the house of the LORD.

⁵ What will you do in the day of the appoin= ted festival,

&nb= sp; and in the day of the feast of the LORD?

⁶ For look, = even if they escape destruction,

&nb= sp; Egypt will still round them up.

Memphis will bury = them.

&nb= sp; Weeds will overgrow their silver valuables;

&nb= sp; thorn bushes will occupy their tents.

⁷ The days o= f punishment have come;

&nb= sp; the days of pay back have arrived;

&= nbsp; let Israel realize this.

The prophet is a f= ool,

&nb= sp; the one inspired is considered crazy,

because of the gre= atness of your sin,

&nb= sp; and your hostility being so great.

⁸ The prophe= t is a watchman for Ephraim for my God;

&nb= sp; yet a fowler's snare is set on all his paths,

&nb= sp; and hostility even in the house of his God.

⁹ They have deeply corrupted themselves,

&nb= sp; as in the days of Gibeah.

He will reme= mber their iniquity;

&nb= sp; he will punish their sins.

¹⁰ I found Is= rael like grapes in the wilderness;

&nb= sp; I saw your fathers like the first fruit on the fig tree

&nb= sp; = in its first season.

But they cam= e to Baal-peor,

&nb= sp; and dedicated themselves to that shameful thing,

&nb= sp; and became as detestable as the thing that they loved.

¹¹ As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird;

&nb= sp; there will be no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.

¹² Even though they bring up their children,

&nb= sp; yet I will take them away so that none of them will be left. =

Woe to= them when I depart from them!

¹³ Ephraim, I have seen like Tyre, is planted in a pleasant place,

&nb= sp; but Ephraim will bring out its children to the slaughter.

¹⁴ Give them,= O LORD -- what will you give?

&nb= sp; Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

¹⁵ All their wickedness is at Gilgal; <= /o:p>

&nb= sp; for there I came to hate them.

Becaus= e of their wicked deeds,

&nb= sp; I will drive them out of my house.

I will= love them no more;

&nb= sp; all their princes are rebels.

¹⁶ Ephraim is= struck down,

&nb= sp; their root is dried up,

&nb= sp; = they will bear no fruit.

Even t= hough they bear children,

&nb= sp; I will slay the cherished fruit of their womb.

¹⁷ My God will cast them away

&nb= sp; because they did not listen to him;

they w= ill be wanderers among the nations.

= &nb= sp; = DASV: Hosea 10

¹ Israel is a luxuriant vine that yields its fruit.

The more its= fruit multiplied,

&nb= sp; the more it multiplied itis altars;

the more the= land produced,

&nb= sp; the more they produced idolatrous pillars.

² Their hear= t is divided;

&nb= sp; now they will be found guilty.

He will brea= k down their altars;

&nb= sp; he will destroy their idolatrous pillars.

³ Surely now they will say,

&nb= sp; "We have no king,

&nb= sp; = since we did not fear the LORD;

&nb= sp; and as far as a king,

&nb= sp; = what can he really do for us?"

⁴ They speak= meaningless words,

&nb= sp; with false oaths they make covenants.

Therefore litigati= on sprouts up like poisonous weeds

&nb= sp; in the furrows of the field.

⁵ The inhabitants of Samaria will be in terror

&nb= sp; for the calf-idol of Beth-Aven [house of wickedness].

Its people will mo= urn over it,

&nb= sp; and the idolatrous priests will wail over it,

&nb= sp; = for its glory has departed from it.

⁶ The idol itself will be carried off to Assyria

&nb= sp; as a present to the great king.

Ephraim will be pu= t to shame,

&nb= sp; and Israel will be ashamed of its idol.

⁷ Samaria an= d her king will be cut off,

&nb= sp; floating away like a twig on the surface of the water.

⁸ The high places also of Aven [wickedness],
the sin of Israel, will be destroyed.

= Thorns and thistles will grow over their altars.

Then they wi= ll beg the mountains, “Cover us,”

and to = the hills, “Fall on us.”

⁹ O Israel, = you have sinned from the days of Gibeah,

there they have continued.

Did no= t war against wicked men

overtake them in Gibeah?

¹⁰ When it pl= eases me, I will punish them.

Nations will be gathered against them,

when they are tied up for their two sins.

¹¹ Ephraim is= a well-trained heifer

that loves to tread out the grain; =

but I = myself have put a yoke upon her neck= ,

I will put a harness on Ephraim.

Judah = will plow,

Jacob will break up the ground.

¹² Sow for yourselves righteousness,

reap loyal love.

Break up your fallow ground;

for it is time to seek the LORD

until he com= es and rains righteousness on you.

¹³ You have plowed wickedness,

you have reaped injustice;

you ha= ve eaten the fruit of lies,

because you trus= ted in your own strength,

in your many mighty warriors.

¹⁴ Therefore = the din of battle will rise against your people,

and all= your fortresses will be destroyed,

just l= ike when Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel on the day of battle, <= /p>

when both mother and children were dashed to pieces.<= o:p>

¹⁵ The same t= hing will happen to you, O Bethel,

because of your great wickedness; <= /p>

at day= break the king of Israel be totally destroyed.

= &nb= sp; = DASV: Hosea 11

¹ When Israel was a child, I loved him,

and called my son out of Egypt.

² The more I= called them,

the more they went away from me.

They sacrificed to Baals,

and burned incense to idols.

³ Yet it was= I who taught Ephraim to walk;

I took them by their arms;

but they did not acknowledge that I healed them.

⁴ I led them with cords of kindness

and bands of love.

I was to the= m as those who lift up a yoke off their neck,

and bent over to feed them.

⁵ They will not return to the land of Egypt= ;

but Assyria will be their king,

because they refused to repent.

⁶ The sword = will slash in their cities,

and it will consume the bars of their gates.

It will devour them because of their evil plans.

⁷ My people = are bent on turning away from me.

Though they call to the Most High,
he will not raise them up.

⁸ How can I = give you up, O Ephraim?

How can I surrender you, O Israel?

How can I make you like Admah?
&nb= sp; How can I treat you like Zeboii= m?

I have had a change of heart;

my compassions grow warm.

⁹ I will not= give vent to my fierce anger;

I will not destroy Ephraim again.

For I = am God and not a man,

the Hol= y One in the midst of you.

I will not come in wrath.=

¹⁰ They will = follow the LORD,

who roars like a lion;

for he= will roar,

and his children will come trembling from the west.

¹¹ They will = come back trembling like birds from Egypt,

like a dove from the land of Assyria.

I will= resettle them in their homes, says the LORD.

¹² Ephraim surrounded me with lies,

and the house of Israel with deceit;

but Judah still tr= avels with God,

and is faithful to the Holy One.

= &nb= sp; = DASV: Hosea 12

¹ Ephraim fe= eds on wind,

&nb= sp; and chases after the desert east wind;

= he multiplies lies and violence.

They make a treaty= with Assyria,

&nb= sp; and olive oil is carried to Egypt.

² The LORD has a case against Judah, <= /o:p>

&nb= sp; and will punish Jacob according to his ways;

&nb= sp; = he will repay him according to his deeds.

³ Even in the womb he grabbed his brother by the heel,

&nb= sp; and as an adult he struggled with God.

⁴ He wrestled with the angel and won;

&nb= sp; he wept and pleaded for his favor.

He found him= at Bethel,

&nb= sp; and spoke with him there--

⁵ the LORD, = the God of hosts;

&nb= sp; the LORD is his memorial.

⁶ You must t= urn back to your God;

&nb= sp; hold on to loyal love and justice,

&nb= sp; = and wait continually for your God.

⁷ Instead he= is like a merchant,

&nb= sp; with deceptive scales in his hand;

&nb= sp; = he loves to cheat.

⁸ Ephraim sa= id, "I am rich, I have become wealthy.

&nb= sp; In all my pursuit of wealth

&nb= sp; = no one has been able to detect anything wrong or sinful."

⁹ But I am t= he LORD your God from the land of Egypt;

&nb= sp; I will again make you live in tents,

&nb= sp; = as in the days of the solemn feast.

¹⁰ I spoke to= the prophets,

&nb= sp; I multiplied visions,

&nb= sp; = and through the prophets gave symbolic parables.

¹¹ Are there idols in Gilead?

&nb= sp; They are absolutely worthless!

Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?

&nb= sp; Their altars are like heaps of stone in a plowed field.

¹² Jacob fled into the land of Aram;

&nb= sp; Israel served for a wife,

&nb= sp; = to earn a wife he guarded sheep.

¹³ By a proph= et the LORD brought Israel up out of Egypt,

&nb= sp; and by a prophet he was guarded.

¹⁴ Ephraim ha= s bitterly provoked to anger;

&nb= sp; he will be held accountable for his bloody crimes,

&nb= sp; = and his Lord will repay him for his scornful abuse.

= &nb= sp; = DASV: Hosea 13

¹ When Ephra= im spoke,

&nb= sp; there was trembling.

He was exalt= ed in Israel;

&nb= sp; but when he offended by worshipping Baal, he died.

² Even now t= hey sin more and more.

&nb= sp; They have made metal images for themselves;

idols of silver bu= ilt according to their own understanding,

&nb= sp; all of them the work of the craftsmen.

They say of them, = "Let those who sacrifice, kiss the calves."

³ Therefore = they will be like the morning mist,

&nb= sp; and like the dew that quickly vanishes,

like chaff b= lown away from the threshing floor by a whirlwind,

&nb= sp; and like smoke disappearing through an open window.

⁴ Yet I am t= he LORD your God from the land of Egypt;

&nb= sp; you are not to acknowledge any god but me,

&nb= sp; = for there is no savior besides me.

⁵ I cared for you in the wilderness,

&nb= sp; in the land of great desert.

⁶ But after = they had grazed they were filled;

&nb= sp; then their heart became proud;

&= nbsp; th= erefore they forgot me.

⁷ So I am li= ke a lion to them;

&nb= sp; like a leopard I will lurk by the road.

⁸ I will meet them like a bear robbed of her cubs,

&nb= sp; and will tear their hearts out.

I will devou= r them like a lioness;

&nb= sp; like a wild beast would tear them to pieces.

⁹ You are about to be destroyed, O Israel, =

&nb= sp; because you are against me, your help.<= o:p>

¹⁰ Where now = is your king,

&nb= sp; that he may save you in all your cities?

Where are your lea= ders, of whom you demanded,

&nb= sp; "Give me a king and princes"?

¹¹ I have giv= en you a king in my anger,

&nb= sp; and took him away in my wrath.

¹² The guilt = of Ephraim is packed away;

&nb= sp; his sin is stored up.

¹³ The pain of childbirth will come on him.

&nb= sp; He is an unwise son;

&nb= sp; = for at the right time he does not appear

&nb= sp; &= nbsp; at the opening of the womb.

¹⁴ Should I ransom them from the power of Sh= eol?

&nb= sp; Should I redeem them from death?

O death, whe= re are your plagues?

&nb= sp; O Sheol, where is your destruction?

Compassion w= ill be hidden from my eyes.

¹⁵ Though he = is fruitful among his brothers,

&nb= sp; a desert east wind will come, =

&nb= sp; = the breath of the LORD blowing in from the wilderness;

his sp= ring will dry up

and his fountain will be parched;

&nb= sp; &= nbsp; it will plunder his treasury of its valuables.

¹⁶ Samaria wi= ll bear her guilt,

&nb= sp; for she rebelled against her God.

They will fa= ll by the sword;

&nb= sp; their infants will be dashed in pieces,

&nb= sp; = and their pregnant women ripped open.

= &nb= sp; = DASV: Hosea 14

¹ O Israel, return to the LORD your God;

&nb= sp; for you have fallen because of your sins.

² Take with = you words,

&nb= sp; and return to the LORD.

Say to him, "= Take away all iniquity,

&nb= sp; receive us graciously,

so that we m= ay offer the praise of our lips as sacrificial bulls.

³ Assyria wi= ll not save us;

&nb= sp; we will not ride on war-horses;

or say again to th= e work of our hands,

&nb= sp; 'You are our gods,'

for in you a= lone the orphan finds mercy."

⁴ I will heal their backsliding;

&nb= sp; I will love them freely,

for my anger= has turned away from them.

⁵ I will be = like the dew to Israel;

&nb= sp; he will blossom like a lily,

and put down his r= oots like a cedar of Lebanon.

⁶ His shoots= will sprout,

&nb= sp; and his beauty like the olive tree,

&nb= sp; = and his fragrance like the cedar of Lebanon.

⁷ They who r= eturn will live under his shadow.

&nb= sp; They will grow up like the grain,

&nb= sp; = and blossom like the vine;

its fr= agrance will be like the wine of Lebanon.

⁸ O Ephraim,= what more do I have to do with idols?

It is I who = answers and cares for him.

&nb= sp; I am like an evergreen cypress tree;

&nb= sp; = your fruit comes from me.

⁹ Who is wise, that he may understand these things?

&nb= sp; Prudent, that he may know them?

For the ways of th= e LORD are right,

&nb= sp; and the just will walk in them,

&nb= sp; but rebels will stumble in them.