Hosea 13

Hosea 13:1

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

Ephraim was once very awful to the rest of his fellows, so as while he spoke, the other tribes were ready to tremble; but when he once fell to his idolatry, in worshipping Baal, he lost his reputation, and no reckoning was made of him.

Hosea 13:2

They say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.

They say to them, Let those, that would sacrifice to God, do honour to those calves of Dan and Beth-el, in which God is worshipped.

Hosea 13:5

I did know thee in the wilderness.

I did not only bring thee out of the land of Egypt, but I bestowed many favours upon thee in the wilderness.

Hosea 13:6

According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted.

According to the height of their feed, so was their pamperedness and pride: they were no sooner filled, than their heart was exalted.

Hosea 13:9

O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.

O Israel, I have not been wanting to thee in my favours and blessings: thou canst not tax me of any defect of mercy; but thou wouldest not hearken to me, but wouldest needs procure thine own destruction: so as thy misery, and undoing, is thine own; all the hope, and remainder, of thy help and salvation, is in and from me.

Hosea 13:10

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?

I will be thy king: in vain hast thou trusted to any other; thou hast found it to thy sorrow: Where is there any other in all thy cities, that can deliver thee? Where are those judges of thine, those great rulers, of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? What were they? What are they able to do for thee?

Hosea 13:11

I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.

Thou seest how I gave thee thy first king, Saul, in mine anger; and now take away thy last king, Hoshea, in my wrath.

Hosea 13:12

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

Let no man be offended, that I took not a sudden revenge on Ephraim: I have bundled up all his sins together, and trussed up his iniquities, for a meet day of punishment.

Hosea 13:13

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.

His calamities shall come upon him, as the pains of childbirth upon a woman: it is his fault and his misery, that he sticks so long in the birth: were Ephraim wise, he would make his peace with God; that he might, by his mercy, be delivered fully from those miserable straits wherein he is.

Hosea 13:15

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 fountains shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.

But now, as the case stands with Ephraim, though he be fruitful among his brethren, yet I will fetch the Assyrian upon him; who, like an east wind from the wilderness, shall blast him, and utterly dash all his hopes, and carry away all his treasures, &c.