⁷ So I will be ^(A)like a lion to them;
Like a ^(B)leopard I will ^[a]lie in wait by the wayside.
⁸ I will confront them ^(C)like a bear deprived of her cubs,
And I will tear open ^[b]their chests;
I will also ^(D)devour them there like a lioness,
As a wild animal would tear them to pieces.

^9 [c]It is to your own destruction, Israel,
That you are ^(E)against Me, against your ^(F)help.
¹⁰ Where then is your ^(G)king,
That he might save you in all your cities;
And your ^(H)judges, to whom you said,
“Give me a king and princes”?
¹¹ I ^(I)gave you a king in My anger,
And ^(J)took him away in My wrath.

¹² The guilt of Ephraim is wrapped up;
His sin is ^(K)stored up.
¹³ The pains of ^(L)childbirth come on him;
He is ^(M)not a wise son,
For ^[d]it is not the time that he should ^(N)delay at the opening of the womb.
¹⁴ Shall I ^(O)ransom them from the ^[e]power of Sheol?
Shall I redeem them from death?
^(P)Death, where are your ^[f]thorns?
Sheol, where is your sting?
^(Q)Compassion will be hidden from My sight.

¹⁵ Though he ^(R)flourishes among the ^[g]reeds,
An ^(S)east wind will come,
The wind of the Lord coming up from the wilderness;
And his fountain will ^(T)become dry
And his spring will dry up;
It will ^(U)plunder his treasury of every precious article.
^16 [h]Samaria will pay the penalty for her ^(V)guilt,
Because she has ^(W)rebelled against her God.
^(X)They will fall by the ^(Y)sword,
Their children will be ^[i](Z)slaughtered,
And their pregnant ^(AA)women will be ripped open.