Hosea

¹ a terrifying sentence against Israel: Caught and convicted in the lewd sex-worship of Baal—they died!

² manufacturing god-images they can use, Religion customized to taste. Professionals see to it: Anything you want in a god you can get. Can you believe it? They sacrifice live babies to these dead gods— kill living babies and kiss golden calves!

³ hollow men, desiccated women, Like scraps of paper blown down the street, like smoke in a gusty wind.

⁴ the God who saved you out of Egypt. I'm the only real God you've ever known. I'm the one and only God who delivers.

⁵ those years when you had nothing.

⁶ gave you everything you needed. You were spoiled. You thought you didn't need me. You forgot me.

⁷ like a leopard stalking in the brush.

⁸ I'll rip out their guts. Coyotes will make a meal of them. Crows will clean their bones.

⁹ Who is going to stop me?

¹⁰ Where are all the local leaders you wanted so badly? All these rulers you insisted on having, demanding, 'Give me a king! Give me leaders!'?

¹¹ Now, fed up, I've gotten rid of him.

¹² Ephraim's sin documented and stored in a safe-deposit box.

¹³ Ephraim was too stupid to come out of the womb. When the passage into life opened up, he didn't show.

¹⁴ Shall I snatch them from a certain death? Who is afraid of you, Death? Who cares about your threats, Tomb? In the end I'm abolishing regret, banishing sorrow,

¹⁵ the black sheep of the family. "God's tornado is on its way, roaring out of the desert. It will devastate the country, leaving a trail of ruin and wreckage. The cities will be gutted, dear possessions gone for good.

¹⁶ because she has rebelled against her God: Her people will be killed, babies smashed on the rocks, pregnant women ripped open."