Study Desk

^(C1)When Ephraim ^(F1)spoke, there was trembling. He ^(C2)exalted himself in Israel, But through ^(C3)Baal he incurred guilt and died.

And now they sin more and more, And make for themselves ^(C1)cast metal images, Idols ^(F1)(C2)skillfully made from their silver, All of them the ^(C3)work of craftsmen. They say of them, "Let the ^(F2)people who sacrifice kiss the ^(C4)calves!"

Therefore they will be like the ^(C1)morning cloud And like dew which ^(F1)soon disappears, Like ^(C2)chaff which is blown away from the threshing floor, And like ^(C3)smoke from a chimney.

Yet I have been the ^(C1)LORD your God Since the land of Egypt; And you were not to know ^(C2)any god except Me, For there is no savior ^(C3)besides Me.

I ^(F1)(C1)cared for you in the wilderness, ^(C2)In the land of drought.

As they had their pasture, they became ^(C1)satisfied, And as they became satisfied, their ^(C2)heart became proud; Therefore they ^(C3)forgot Me.

So I will be ^(C1)like a lion to them; Like a ^(C2)leopard I will ^(F1)lie in wait by the wayside.

I will confront them ^(C1)like a bear deprived of her cubs, And I will tear open ^(F1)their chests; I will also ^(C2)devour them there like a lioness, As a wild animal would tear them to pieces.

^(F1)It is to your own destruction, Israel, That you are ^(C1)against Me, against your ^(C2)help.

Where then is your ^(C1)king, That he might save you in all your cities; And your ^(C2)judges, to whom you said, "Give me a king and princes"?

I ^(C1)gave you a king in My anger, And ^(C2)took him away in My wrath.

The guilt of Ephraim is wrapped up; His sin is ^(C1)stored up.

The pains of ^(C1)childbirth come on him; He is ^(C2)not a wise son, For ^(F1)it is not the time that he should ^(C3)delay at the opening of the womb.

Shall I ^(C1)ransom them from the ^(F1)power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from death? ^(C2)Death, where are your ^(F2)thorns? Sheol, where is your sting? ^(C3)Compassion will be hidden from My sight.

Though he ^(C1)flourishes among the ^(F1)reeds, An ^(C2)east wind will come, The wind of the LORD coming up from the wilderness; And his fountain will ^(C3)become dry And his spring will dry up; It will ^(C4)plunder his treasury of every precious article.

^(F1)Samaria will pay the penalty for her ^(C1)guilt, Because she has ^(C2)rebelled against her God. ^(C3)They will fall by the ^(C4)sword, Their children will be ^(F2)(C5)slaughtered, And their pregnant ^(C6)women will be ripped open.