Hosea

 1 When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he ^aoffended in Baal, he died.

 2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten ^aimages 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.

 3 Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the ^achaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

 4 Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no ^agod but me: for there is no ^bsaviour ^cbeside me.

 5 ¶I did ^aknow thee in the wilderness, in the land of great ^bdrought.

 6 According to their pasture, so were they ^afilled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they ^bforgotten me.

 7 Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them:

 8 I will meet them as a ^abear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the ^bcaul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.

 9 ¶O Israel, thou hast ^adestroyed thyself; but in me is thine ^bhelp.

 10 I will be thy ^aking: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a ^bking and princes?

 11 I gave thee a king in mine ^aanger, and ^btook him away in my wrath.

 12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid.

 13 The ^asorrows of a ^btravailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the ^cbreaking forth of children.

 14 I will ^aransom them from the power of the ^bgrave; I will ^credeem them from death: O ^ddeath, I will be thy ^eplagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: ^frepentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

 15 ¶Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east ^awind 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.

 16 ^aSamaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be ^bdashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.