| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1When Ephraim spoke, trembling, He exalted himself in Israel; But when he offended through Baal worship, he died. | 1When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel. But he incurred guilt through Baal, and he died. |
| 2Now they sin more and more, And have made for themselves molded images, Idols of their silver, according to their skill; All of it is the work of craftsmen. They say of them, “Let the men who sacrifice kiss the calves!” | 2Now they sin more and more and make for themselves cast images, idols skillfully made from their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. People say of them, “They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calves!” |
| 3Therefore they shall be like the morning cloud And like the early dew that passes away, Like chaff blown off from a threshing floor And like smoke from a chimney. | 3Therefore they will be like the morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes, like chaff blown from a threshing floor, like smoke through an open window. |
| 4“Yet I am the LORD your God Ever since the land of Egypt, And you shall know no God but Me; For there is no savior besides Me. | 4Yet I am the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt; you know no God but Me, for there is no Savior besides Me. |
| 5I knew you in the wilderness, In the land of great drought. | 5I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought. |
| 6When they had pasture, they were filled; They were filled and their heart was exalted; Therefore they forgot Me. | 6When they had pasture, they became satisfied; when they were satisfied, their hearts became proud, and as a result they forgot Me. |
| 7“So I will be to them like a lion; Like a leopard by the road I will lurk; | 7So like a lion I will pounce on them; like a leopard I will lurk by the path. |
| 8I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs; I will tear open their rib cage, And there I will devour them like a lion. The wild beast shall tear them. | 8Like a bear robbed of her cubs I will attack them, and I will tear open their chests. There I will devour them like a lion, like a wild beast would tear them apart. |
| 9“O Israel, you are destroyed, But your help is from Me. | 9You are destroyed, O Israel, because you are against Me—against your helper. |
| 10I will be your King; Where is any other, That he may save you in all your cities? And your judges to whom you said, ‘Give me a king and princes’? | 10Where is your king now to save you in all your cities, and the rulers to whom you said, “Give me a king and princes”? |
| 11I gave you a king in My anger, And took him away in My wrath. | 11So in My anger I gave you a king, and in My wrath I took him away. |
| 12“The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; His sin is stored up. | 12The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is stored up. |
| 13The sorrows of a woman in childbirth shall come upon him. He is an unwise son, For he should not stay long where children are born. | 13Labor pains come upon him, but he is an unwise son. When the time arrives, he fails to present himself at the opening of the womb. |
| 14“I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.” | 14I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from Death. Where, O Death, are your plagues? Where, O Sheol, is your sting? Compassion is hidden from My eyes. |
| 15Though he is fruitful among his brethren, An east wind shall come; The wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness. Then his spring shall become dry, And his fountain shall be dried up. He shall plunder the treasury of every desirable prize. | 15Although he flourishes among his brothers, an east wind will come—a wind from the LORD rising up from the desert. His fountain will fail, and his spring will run dry. The wind will plunder his treasury of every precious article. |
| 16Samaria is held guilty, For she has rebelled against her God. They shall fall by the sword, Their infants shall be dashed in pieces, And their women with child ripped open. | 16Samaria will bear her guilt because she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open. |
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