Hosea 13:11-16

11 I shall give to thee a king in my strong vengeance, and I shall take away in mine indignation. (I gave thee a king in my strong vengeance, and then in my indignation I took him away.)

12 The wickedness of Ephraim is bound together; his sin is hid. (The wickedness of Ephraim is recorded; and the records of his sins be hidden away.)

13 The sorrows of a woman travailing of child shall come to him; he is a son not wise. For now he shall not stand in the defouling of sons. (The sorrows of a woman labouring with child shall come to him; he is not a wise son, for he would not leave the place of his conceiving.)

14 I shall deliver them from the hand of death, and I shall again-buy them from death. Thou death, I shall be thy death; thou hell, I shall be thy morsel. Comfort is hid from mine eyes, (But I shall not save, or rescue, them from the hand of death, and I shall not buy them back from death. O death, bring on thy death; O Sheol/O grave, bring on thy destruction. Mercy is hid from my eyes,)

15 for he shall part betwixt brethren. The Lord shall bring a burning wind, going up from desert; and it shall make dry the veins thereof, and it shall make desolate the well(s) thereof; and he shall ravish the treasure of each desirable vessel. (and I shall divide between brothers. Yea, the Lord shall bring in a burning wind, going up from the desert; and it shall dry up their springs, and make their wells desolate; and it shall take away all their valuable treasures.)

16 (Let) Samaria perish, for it stirred his God to bitterness; perish it by sword. The little children of them be hurtled down, and the women with child thereof be carved. (And so Samaria shall perish, for she stirred her God to bitterness; she shall perish by the sword. Their little children shall be hurtled down, and their women with child shall be carved, or cut, up.)

Hosea 13:11-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 13

This chapter begins with observing the different state and condition of Ephraim before and after his idolatry, Ho 13:1; his increase in it, Ho 13:2; and therefore his prosperity was very short lived, which is signified by various metaphors, Ho 13:3; and his sins are aggravated by the former goodness of God unto him his great ingratitude unto God, and forgetfulness him, Ho 13:4-6; hence he is threatened with his wrath and vengeance in a very severe manner, Ho 13:7,8; for which he had none to blame but himself; yea, such was the grace and goodness of God to him, that though he had destroyed himself, yet there were help and salvation for him in him, Ho 13:9; though not in his king he had desired, and was given, and was took away in wrath, Ho 13:10,11; but his sin being bound up and hid, and he foolish and unwise, sharp corrections would be given him, Ho 13:12,13; and yet a gracious promise is made of redemption from death and the grave by the Messiah, Ho 13:14; but, notwithstanding this, and all his present prosperity, he would be blasted in his wealth and riches; and Samaria the metropolis of his country would he desolate; and the inhabitants of it be used in the most cruel manner, because of their rebellion against God, Ho 13:15,16.