Ransom From Death
Hosea 13
Ephraim is condemned for making molten images and calves for sacrifice, though the Lord alone brought them out of Egypt and there is no other Savior, and so the Lord will come upon them like a panther, leopard, and bear. The chapter includes the Lord's word that he will deliver them from the power of Hades and redeem them from death, asking where death's sting and Hades' victory now are, before turning again to describe a coming desolation by an east wind.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonACCORDING to Ephraim’s own account he received rules of rectitude by Israel, but he attributed them to Baal and incurred death.
BrentonAccording to the word of Ephraim he adopted ordinances for himself in Israel; and he established them for Baal, and died.
GreekΚατὰ τὸν λόγον Ἐφραὶμ δικαιώματα ἔλαβεν αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ἔθετο αὐτὰ τῇ Βάαλ καὶ ἀπέθανε.
KJVWhen Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.
JPSWhen Ephraim spoke, there was trembling, He exalted himself in Israel; But when he became guilty through Baal, he died.
2
ThomsonAnd now they have proceeded on to greater acts of sin; and of their silver have made themselves a molten image, according to the image of idols. The handiworks of craftsmen being consecrated for them, they say, Sacrifice men, for young bulls have failed.
BrentonAnd now they have sinned increasingly, and have made for themselves a molten image of their silver, according to the fashion of idols, the work of artificers accomplished for them: they say, Sacrifice men, for the calves have come to an end.
GreekΚαὶ νῦν προσέθεντο τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν, καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς χώνευμα ἐκ τοῦ ἀργυρίου αὐτῶν, κατʼ εἰκόνα εἰδώλων, ἔργα τεκτόνων συντετελεσμένα αὐτοῖς· αὐτοὶ λέγουσι, θύσατε ἀνθρώπους, μόσχοι γὰρ ἐκλελοίπασι.
KJVAnd now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.
JPSAnd now they sin more and more, And have made them molten images of their silver, According to their own understanding, even idols, All of them the work of the craftsmen; Of them they say: ‘They that sacrifice men kiss calves.’
3
ThomsonFor this cause they shall be like a morning cloud, and like a transient dew of the morning—like chaff blown from a winnowing floor and like a vapour from tears.
BrentonTherefore shall they be as a morning cloud, and as the early dew that passes away, as chaff blown away from the threshing-floor, and as a vapour from tears.
GreekΔιὰ τοῦτο ἔσονται ὡς νεφέλη πρωϊνὴ καὶ ὡς δρόσος ὀρθρινὴ πορευομένη, ὡς χνοῦς ἀποφυσώμενος ἀφʼ ἅλωνος, καὶ ὡς ἀτμὶς ἀπὸ δακρύων.
KJVTherefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.
JPSTherefore they shall be as the morning cloud, And as the dew that early passeth away, As the chaff that is driven with the wind out of the threshing-floor, And as the smoke out of the window.
4
ThomsonAs for Me, I the Lord thy God am He Who established the heaven, and created the earth, Whose hands have created all the host of heaven; but I did not display these to thee that thou shouldst go after them. As I have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt; therefore thou shalt acknowledge no God besides Me. Indeed besides Me there is no saviour.
BrentonBut I am the Lord thy God that establishes the heaven, and creates the earth, whose hands have framed the whole host of heaven: but I shewed them not to thee that thou shouldest go after them: and I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no God but me; and there is no Saviour beside me.
GreekἘγὼ δὲ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ὁ στερεῶν τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ κτίζων γῆν, οὗ αἱ χεῖρες ἔκτισαν πᾶσαν τὴν στρατιὰν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ οὐ παρέδειξά σοι αὐτὰ τοῦ πορεύεσθαι ὀπίσω αὐτῶν· καὶ ἐγὼ ἀνήγαγόν σε ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ θεὸν πλὴν ἐμοῦ οὐ γνώσῃ, καὶ σώζων οὐκ ἔστι πάρεξ ἐμοῦ.
KJVYet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.
JPSYet I am the LORD thy God From the land of Egypt; And thou knowest no God but Me, And beside Me there is no saviour.
5
ThomsonIt was I who fed thee in the desert—in an uninhabited land.
BrentonI tended thee as a shepherd in the wilderness, in an uninhabited land.
GreekἘγὼ ἐποίμαινόν σε ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἐν γῇ ἀοικήτῳ
KJVI did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.
JPSI did know thee in the wilderness, In the land of great drought.
6
ThomsonWhen in their pastures they were fed to the full; then were their hearts lifted up. For this cause they forgot Me.
BrentonAccording to their pastures, so they were completely filled; and their hearts were exalted; therefore they forgot me.
Greekκατὰ τὰς νομὰς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐνεπλήσθησαν εἰς πλησμονήν, καὶ ὑψώθησαν αἱ καρδίαι αὐτῶν· ἕνεκα τούτου ἐπελάθοντό μου.
KJVAccording to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.
JPSWhen they were fed, they became full, They were filled, and their heart was exalted; Therefore have they forgotten Me.
7
Thomson—
BrentonAnd I will be to them as a panther, and as a leopard.
GreekΚαὶ ἔσομαι αὐτοῖς ὡς πανθὴρ, καὶ ὡς πάρδαλις· κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν Ἀσσυρίων
KJVTherefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them:
JPSTherefore am I become unto them as a lion; As a leopard will I watch by the way;
8
ThomsonI will meet them as a bear bereaved of her cubs, and rend the covering of their heart; and the young lions of the forest shall there devour them; and the beasts of the field shall tear them to pieces.
BrentonI will meet them by the way of the Assyrians, as a she-bear excited, and I will rend the caul of their heart, and the lions' whelps of the thicket shall devour them there; the wild beasts of the field shall rend them in pieces.
Greekἀπαντήσομαι αὐτοῖς ὡς ἄρκτος ἡ ἀπορουμένη, καὶ διαῤῥήξω συγκλεισμὸν καρδίας αὐτῶν, καὶ καταφάγονται αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖ σκύμνοι δρυμοῦ, θηρία ἀγροῦ διασπάσει αὐτούς.
KJVI will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.
JPSI will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, And will rend the enclosure of their heart; And there will I devour them like a lioness; The wild beast shall tear them.
9
ThomsonIn thy destruction, O Israel, who can give succour?
BrentonO Israel, who will aid thee in thy destruction?
GreekΤῇ διαφθορᾷ σου Ἰσραήλ τίς βοηθήσει;
KJV—
JPSIt is thy destruction, O Israel, That thou art against Me, against thy help.
10
ThomsonWhere is this king of thine? Let him save thee in all thy cities. Let him judge thee, of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and a chief.
BrentonWhere is this thy king? let him even save thee in all thy cities: let him judge thee, of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and a prince.
GreekΠοῦ ὁ βασιλεύς σου οὗτος; καὶ διασωσάτω σε ἐν πάσαις ταῖς πόλεσί σου· κρινάτω σε ὃν εἶπας, δός μοι βασιλέα καὶ ἄρχοντα.
KJVI will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?
JPSHo, now, thy king, That he may save thee in all thy cities! And thy judges, of whom thou saidst: ‘Give me a king and princes! ’
11
ThomsonI gave thee a king in Mine indignation,
BrentonAnd I gave thee a king in mine anger, and kept him back in my wrath.
GreekΚαὶ ἔδωκά σοι βασιλέα ἐν ὀργῇ μου, καὶ ἔσχον ἐν τῷ θυμῷ μου.
KJVI gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.
JPSI give thee a king in Mine anger, And take him away in My wrath.
12
Thomson—
BrentonEphraim has framed a conspiracy of unrighteousness, his sin is hidden.
GreekΣυστροφὴν ἀδικίας Ἐφραὶμ, ἐγκεκρυμμένη ἡ ἁμαρτία αὐτοῦ,
KJVThe iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid.
JPSThe iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; His sin is laid up in store.
13
Thomsonpangs as of a woman in travail shall come upon him. (p) With regard to that son of Thine who is wise, why may not he survive in the destruction of Thy children.
BrentonPains as of a woman in travail shall come upon him: he is thy wise son, because he shall not stay in the destruction of thy children.
Greekὠδῖνες ὡς τικτούσης ἥξουσιν αὐτῷ· οὗτος ὁ υἱός σου ὁ φρόνιμος, διότι οὐ μὴ ὑποστῇ ἐν συντριβῇ τέκνων.
KJVThe sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.
JPSThe throes of a travailing woman shall come upon him; He is an unwise son; For it is time he should not tarry In the place of the breaking forth of children.
14
Thomson(J) Him I will deliver from the power of the grave, and from death I will redeem them. (p) O death, where is thy punishment? Where thy sting, O grave? Is comfort hid from mine eyes?
BrentonI will deliver them out of the power of Hades, and will redeem them from death: where is thy penalty, O death? O Hades, where is thy sting? comfort is hidden from mine eyes.
GreekἘκ χειρὸς ᾅδου ῥύσομαι, καὶ ἐκ θανάτου λυτρώσομαι αὐτούς· ποῦ ἡ δίκη σου θάνατε; ποῦ τὸ κέντρον σου ᾅδη; παράκλησις κέκρυπται ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου.
KJVI will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
JPSShall I ransom them from the power of the nether-world? Shall I redeem them from death? Ho, thy plagues, O death! Ho, thy destruction, O netherworld! Repentance be hid from Mine eyes!
15
ThomsonSince he will make a distinction among brethren; let the Lord bring upon him a blasting wind from the desert, and let it dry up his veins and lay waste his fountains; let it parch up his land and all his precious stores.
BrentonForasmuch as he will cause a division among his brethren, the Lord shall bring upon him an east wind from the desert, and shall dry up his veins and quite drain his fountains: he shall dry up his land, and spoil all his precious vessels.
GreekΔιότι οὗτος ἀναμέσον ἀδελφῶν διαστελεῖ, ἐπάξει καύσωνα ἄνεμον Κύριος ἐκ τῆς ἐρήμου ἐπʼ αὐτόν, καὶ ἀναξηρανεῖ τὰς φλέβας αὐτοῦ, ἐξερημώσει τὰς πηγὰς αὐτοῦ· αὐτὸς καταξηρανεῖ τὴν γῆν αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη τὰ ἐπιθυμητὰ αὐτοῦ.
KJVThough he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.
JPSFor though he be fruitful among the reed-plants, An east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD coming up from the wilderness, And his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up; He shall spoil the treasure of all precious vessels.