1 WHEN Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.
2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images 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 chaff 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 god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.
5 I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.
6 According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten 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 bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.
9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.
10 I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?
11 I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.
12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid.
13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.
14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
15 Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind 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 Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.

1When Ephraim spake, trembling, he exalted himselfe in Israel, but, when he offended in Baal, he died.

2And now they sinne more and more, and haue made them molten images of their siluer, and idoles according to their owne vnderstanding, all of it the worke of the craftesmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice, kisse the calues.

3Therefore they shalbe as the morning cloud, and as the early dew it passeth away, as the chaffe that is driuen with a whirlewinde out of the floore, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

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

5 I did know thee in the wildernesse, in the land of great drought.

6According to their pasture, so were they filled: they were filled, and their heart was exalted: therefore haue they forgotten me.

7Therefore I will bee vnto them as a Lion, as a Leopard by the way will I obserue them.

8I will meet them as a beare that is bereaued of her whelpes, and will rent the kall of their heart, and there will I deuoure them like a Lion: the wilde beast shall teare them.

9 O Israel, thou hast destroied thy selfe, but in me is thine helpe.

10I will be thy King: where is any other that may saue thee in all thy cities? and thy Iudges of whom thou saidst, Giue me a King and Princes?

11I gaue thee a king in mine anger, and tooke him away in my wrath.

12The iniquitie of Ephraim is bound vp: his sinne is hid.

13The sorrowes of a traueiling woman shall come vpon him, he is an vnwise sonne, for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking foorth of children.

14I will ransome them from the power of the graue: I will redeeme them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues, O graue, I will be thy destruction; repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

15 Though he be fruitfull among his brethren, an East winde shall come, the winde of the Lord shall come vp from the wildernesse, and his spring shall become drie, and his fountaine shalbe dried vp: he shall spoile the treasure of all pleasant vessels.

16Samaria shall become desolate, for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shalbe dashed in pieces, and their women with childe shalbe ript vp.

I == 2nd Kings 17:16 , 18 ; Hos 11:2

 

II == 1st Kings 19:18 ; Hos 2:8 ; 8:4

 

III == Dan 2:35 ; Hos 6:4

 

 

IV == Isa 43:11 ; 45:21 ; Hos 12:9

 

 

V == Deut 2:7 ; 8:15 ; 32:10

VI == Deut 8:12 , 14 ; 32:15 ; Hos 8:14

VII == Jer 5:6 ; Lam 3:10 ; Hos 5:14

VIII == 2nd Sam 17:8 ; Prov 17:12

 

 

IX == Prov 6:32

X == 1st Sam 8:5 , 19

 

XI == 1st Sam 8:7

 

XIII == Jer 30:6

 

 

XIV == Rom 11:29 ; 1st Cor 15:54-55

 

 

XV == Ezek 17:10 ; 19:12

 

 

XVI == 2nd Kings 8:12 ; 15:16 ; 17:6 ; 18:12 ; Isa 13:16

1 Ephraim's word caused fear, for he was exalted in Israel; but he sinned through Baal and died.

2 Now they continue to sin, making for themselves molten images, Silver idols according to their fancy, all of them the work of artisans. "To these," they say, "offer sacrifice." Men kiss calves!

3 Therefore, they shall be like a morning cloud or like the dew that early passes away, Like chaff storm-driven from the threshing floor or like smoke out of the window.

4 I am the LORD, your God, since the land of Egypt; You know no God besides me, and there is no savior but me.

5 I fed you in the desert, in the torrid land.

6 They ate their fill; when filled, they became proud of heart and forgot me.

7 Therefore, I will be like a lion to them, like a panther by the road I will keep watch.

8 I will attack them like a bear robbed of its young, and tear their hearts from their breasts; I will devour them on the spot like a lion, as though a wild beast were to rend them.

9 Your destruction, O Israel! who is there to help you?

10 Where now is your king, that he may rescue you in all your cities? And your rulers, of whom you said, "Give me a king and princes"?

11 I give you a king in my anger, and I take him away in my wrath.

12 The guilt of Israel is wrapped up, his sin is stored away.

13 The birth pangs shall come for him, but he shall be an unwise child; For when it is time he shall not present himself where children break forth.

14 Shall I deliver them from the power of the nether world? shall I redeem them from death? Where are your plagues, O death! where is your sting, O nether world! My eyes are closed to compassion.

15 Though he be fruitful among his fellows, an east wind shall come, a wind from the LORD, rising from the desert, That shall dry up his spring, and leave his fountain dry. It shall loot his land of every precious thing.

They Sin More and More

Under Ahab brought national death with the addition of Baal worship to Calf worship.

v 1-3. Ephraim prospered when they were humble, but powerful Ephraim went right into idolatry, even though foolish for men to kiss calves. This was a test. If they openly kissed an idol in adoration, they were not true to Jewish faith. These idolaters would be as lack of substance as dew, chaff, or smoke.

 

 

 

v 4-8. God reminds them of His care from Egypt and beyond, but they have forgotten Him, so he will bring vengeance on them as a wild beast would.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 9-15. Giving a king refers to either Saul or Jeroboam, Hoshea was taken away. God is keeping track of Ephraim’s sin. They were refusing repentance, so the Lord’s compassion is removed, 1:6. Verse 14 is a message of defeat which Paul reverses to a message of victory, 1 Cor. 15:15. The east wind of the Lord, v 15, is the plundering military atrocities of the Assyrians who would come in and make the land desolate.
Heb