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¹ When Ephraim spoke,^[a] there was terror;
he was exalted in Israel,
        but he incurred guilt through Baal and died.
² And now they sin again,
    and they make for themselves a molten idol,
idols from their silver metal according to their understanding,
    all of them the work of skilled craftsmen.
To these they say, "Sacrifice!"
    People are kissing bull calves.
³ Therefore, they will be like the morning cloud,
    and like the dew of early morning going away,
like chaff swirling from the threshing floor,
    or like smoke from a window.
⁴ I am Yahweh your God
    since^[b] the land of Egypt;
you know no god except me,
    and no one saves besides me.
⁵ I fed you^[c] in the desert,
    in the land of drought.
⁶ When I fed them,^[d] they were satisfied;
    they were satisfied and their heart was lifted up;
        therefore they forgot me.
⁷ And I will be like a lion to them;
    I lie in wait beside the way, like a leopard.
⁸ I will attack them like a bear robbed of her offspring,
    and I will tear open the covering of their heart;
there I will devour them like a lion,
    like an animal of the field would mutilate them.
⁹ I will destroy you,^[e] O Israel;
    who will help you?^[f]
10 Where now is your king that he may save you?
    Where in all your cities are your judges,
of whom you said, "Give to
    me a king and rulers?"
¹¹ I gave you a king in my anger,
    and I took him in my wrath.
¹² The sin of Ephraim is wrapped up;
    his sin is concealed.
¹³ The labor pains of childbirth come for him;
    he is an unwise son
because at the proper time, he does not present himself
    at the mouth of the womb.^[g]
14 Should I redeem them from the power^[h] of Sheol? ^[i]
    Should I deliver them from death?
Where are your plagues, O Death?
    Where is your destruction, O Sheol?^[j]
Compassion is hidden from my eyes.
¹⁵     Although he may flourish among reeds,^[k]
the east wind will come, a wind of Yahweh
    rising from the desert;
his fountain will dry up,
    his spring will be parched.
It will plunder his treasury,^[l]
    every object of desire.
^16 [m] Samaria will be guilty,
    because she has rebelled against her God;
they will fall by the sword,
    their children will be dashed to pieces,
    and their pregnant women will be ripped open.