| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1When Ephraim spoke, there was terror; he was exalted in Israel, but he became guilty by worshiping Baal and died. | 1When Ephraim spoke, people trembled; he was exalted in Israel. But he became guilty of Baal worship and 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; they make idols for themselves from their silver, cleverly fashioned images, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of these people, "They offer human sacrifices! They kiss calf-idols!" |
| 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 disappears, like chaff swirling from a threshing floor, like smoke escaping through a 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. | 4"But I have been the LORD your God ever since you came out of Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Savior except me. |
| 5I cared for you in the wilderness, in the dry desert where no water was. | 5I cared for you in the wilderness, in the land of burning heat. |
| 6When they were fed, they became satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; as a result, they forgot me! | 6When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me. |
| 7So I will pounce on them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk by the path. | 7So I will be like a lion to 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 rip them open; like a lion I will devour them-- a wild animal will tear them apart. |
| 9I will destroy you, O Israel! Who is there to help you? | 9"You are destroyed, 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, that he may save you? Where are your rulers in all your towns, of 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 guilt of Ephraim is stored up, his sins are kept on record. |
| 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! | 13Pains as of a woman in childbirth come to him, but he is a child without wisdom; when the time arrives, he doesn't have the sense to come out 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! | 14"I will deliver this people from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction? "I will have no compassion, |
| 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. | 15even though he thrives among his brothers. An east wind from the LORD will come, blowing in from the desert; his spring will fail and his well dry up. His storehouse will be plundered of all its treasures. |
| 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. | 16The people of Samaria must bear their guilt, because they have rebelled against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to the ground, their pregnant women ripped open." |
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