fra Biblica1Tidligere var det sådan, at når Efraims stamme talte, rystede folk af skræk, for hele Israel så op til dem. Men de syndede ved at dyrke Ba’al og dødsdømte derved sig selv.2Og de synder stadig. De har masser af sølvsmede, der har travlt med at støbe afguder. De tilbeder guder, som de selv har lavet. Man siger om dem, der ofrer til afguderne, at de kysser kalve.3Men de vil forsvinde som morgentågen, fordampe som duggen. De er som avner, vinden blæser bort fra tærskepladsen, de forsvinder som røgen fra et bål.4Herren siger: „Jeg er Herren, din Gud, som skabte himlen og dannede jorden. Jeg anbragte stjernerne på himlen, men ikke for at du skulle tilbede dem. Jeg er den, som[1] førte dig ud af Egypten. Dengang kendte I ikke andre guder, og der findes ingen anden, der kan redde jer.5Jeg tog mig af jer i ørkenen, i det golde og tørre land.6Men så snart I kom til det gode land og spiste jer mætte, blev I stolte og glemte mig.7Derfor kommer jeg imod jer som en løve, som en leopard, der ligger på lur langs stien.8Som en rasende bjørn, hvis unger er taget fra den, sønderriver jeg jer. Som et vildt dyr vil jeg flå jer og gøre det af med jer.9Israel, hvis jeg angriber jer, hvem kan da frelse jer?10Hvor findes den konge, som kan redde jer? Hvor er nu de konger, som I bad om at få?11Da I forlangte at få en konge, gjorde I mig vred, men jeg gav jer alligevel en. Nu har I igen gjort mig vred, og jeg tager jeres konge fra jer.12Jeg kender til alle Efraims synder, intet er glemt.13Du har nået smertens time som en kvinde, der skal føde et barn. Men du er tåbelig som et barn, der modsætter sig at blive født.14Jeg vil udfri dig af dødsrigets greb. Jeg vil redde dig fra døden. Død, hvor er din brod? Dødsrige, hvor er din ødelæggende kraft? Min beslutning står fast,15for du skal bære frugt blandt dine brødre.[2] Jeg vil sende en mægtig østenvind imod dig. Den skal blæse ind fra ørkenen, så dine kilder og brønde tørrer ud, og dine skatte tages fra dig.”
1When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel, but he incurred guilt through Baal and died. (Hos 11,2; Amos 6,13)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!” (1.Kong 19,18; Job 31,26; Salm 115,4; Es 40,19; Hos 2,8)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. (Salm 1,4; Salm 68,2; Hos 6,4)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. (2.Mos 20,3; Es 43,11; Es 45,21; Hos 12,9)5It was I who knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought; (5.Mos 2,7; Amos 3,2)6but when they had grazed,[1] they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me. (5.Mos 8,12; 5.Mos 8,14; 5.Mos 32,15; Hos 4,7)7So I am to them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk beside the way. (Jer 5,6; Hos 5,14)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. (2.Sam 17,8; Ord 17,12; Hos 2,12)9He destroys[2] you, O Israel, for you are against me, against your helper. (5.Mos 33,26)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”? (1.Sam 8,5; 1.Sam 8,19; Hos 8,4; Hos 10,3)11I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him away in my wrath. (1.Sam 8,22; 1.Sam 15,23)12The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is kept in store. (Job 14,17)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. (2.Kong 19,3; Es 13,8; 1.Thess 5,3)14I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol; I shall redeem them from Death.[3] O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion is hidden from my eyes. (Es 25,8; Es 26,19; Ez 9,10; Ez 14,21; Ez 37,12; 1.Kor 15,55)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. (1.Mos 41,52; Ez 17,10; Ez 19,12; Hos 12,8; Jonas 4,8; Hab 1,9)16[4] Samaria 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. (2.Kong 8,12; 2.Kong 15,16; 2.Kong 18,12; Hos 9,12; Hos 10,14; Amos 1,13; Hab 1,11)