| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1When Ephraim spoke, there was terror; he was exalted in Israel, but he became guilty by worshiping Baal and died. | 1When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel. But he incurred guilt through Baal, and he died. |
| 2Even now they persist in sin! They make metal images for themselves, idols that they skillfully fashion from their own silver; all of them are nothing but the work of craftsmen! There is a saying about them: "Those who sacrifice to the calf idol are calf kissers!" | 2Now they sin more and more and make for themselves cast images, idols skillfully made from their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. People say of them, “They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calves!” |
| 3Therefore they will disappear like the morning mist, like early morning dew that evaporates, like chaff that is blown away from a threshing floor, like smoke that disappears through an open window. | 3Therefore they will be like the morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes, like chaff blown from a threshing floor, like smoke through an open window. |
| 4But I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Therefore, you must not acknowledge any God but me; except me there is no Savior. | 4Yet I am the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt; you know no God but Me, for there is no Savior besides Me. |
| 5I cared for you in the wilderness, in the dry desert where no water was. | 5I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought. |
| 6When they were fed, they became satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; as a result, they forgot me! | 6When they had pasture, they became satisfied; when they were satisfied, their hearts became proud, and as a result they forgot Me. |
| 7So I will pounce on them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk by the path. | 7So like a lion I will pounce on them; like a leopard I will lurk by the path. |
| 8I will attack them like a bear robbed of her cubs--I will rip open their chests. I will devour them there like a lion--like a wild animal would tear them apart. | 8Like a bear robbed of her cubs I will attack them, and I will tear open their chests. There I will devour them like a lion, like a wild beast would tear them apart. |
| 9I will destroy you, O Israel! Who is there to help you? | 9You are destroyed, O Israel, because you are against Me—against your helper. |
| 10Where then is your king, that he may save you in all your cities? Where are your rulers for whom you asked, saying, "Give me a king and princes"? | 10Where is your king now to save you in all your cities, and the rulers to whom you said, “Give me a king and princes”? |
| 11I granted you a king in my anger, and I will take him away in my wrath! | 11So in My anger I gave you a king, and in My wrath I took him away. |
| 12The punishment of Ephraim has been decreed; his punishment is being stored up for the future. | 12The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is stored up. |
| 13The labor pains of a woman will overtake him, but the baby will lack wisdom; when the time arrives, he will not come out of the womb! | 13Labor pains come upon him, but he is an unwise son. When the time arrives, he fails to present himself at the opening of the womb. |
| 14Will I deliver them from the power of Sheol? No, I will not! Will I redeem them from death? No, I will not! O Death, bring on your plagues! O Sheol, bring on your destruction! My eyes will not show any compassion! | 14I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from Death. Where, O Death, are your plagues? Where, O Sheol, is your sting? Compassion is hidden from My eyes. |
| 15Even though he flourishes like a reed plant, a scorching east wind will come, a wind from the LORD rising up from the desert. As a result, his spring will dry up; his well will become dry. That wind will spoil all his delightful foods in the containers in his storehouse. | 15Although he flourishes among his brothers, an east wind will come—a wind from the LORD rising up from the desert. His fountain will fail, and his spring will run dry. The wind will plunder his treasury of every precious article. |
| 16Samaria will be held guilty, because she rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword, their infants will be dashed to the ground--their pregnant women will be ripped open. | 16Samaria will bear her guilt because she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open. |
|
