| New King James Version | English Standard Version |
| 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 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!” | 2And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves metal images, idols skillfully made of their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of them, “Those who offer human sacrifice kiss 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 shall be like the morning mist or like the dew that goes early away, like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor or like smoke from a 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. | 4But I am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior. |
| 5I knew you in the wilderness, In the land of great drought. | 5It was I who 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. | 6but when they had grazed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me. |
| 7“So I will be to them like a lion; Like a leopard by the road I will lurk; | 7So I am to them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk beside the way. |
| 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. | 8I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs; I will tear open their breast, and there I will devour them like a lion, as a wild beast would rip them open. |
| 9“O Israel, you are destroyed, But your help is from Me. | 9He destroys you, O Israel, for 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 now is your king, to save you in all your cities? Where are all your rulers— those of whom you said, “Give me a king and princes”? |
| 11I gave you a king in My anger, And took him away in My wrath. | 11I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him away in my wrath. |
| 12“The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; His sin is stored up. | 12The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is kept in store. |
| 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. | 13The pangs of childbirth come for him, but he is an unwise son, for at the right time he does not 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 shall ransom them from the power of Sheol; I shall redeem them from Death. O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where 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. | 15Though he may flourish among his brothers, the east wind, the wind of the LORD, shall come, rising from the wilderness, and his fountain shall dry up; his spring shall be parched; it shall strip his treasury of every precious thing. |
| 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 shall bear her guilt, because she has rebelled against her God; they shall fall by the sword; their little ones shall be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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