Hosea 13:1
13:1 When Ephraim spake {a} trembling, he {b} exalted himself in
     Israel; but when he offended in Baal, {c} he died.

     (a) He shows the excellency and authority that this tribe
         had above all the rest.
     (b) He made a king of his tribe.
     (c) The Ephraimites are not far from destruction, and have
         lost their authority.

Hosea 13:2
13:2 And 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, {d} Let the men that sacrifice kiss the
     calves.

     (d) "Let the men that sacrifice" or "while they sacrifice
         men". The false prophets persuaded the idolaters to
         offer their children after the example of Abraham, and
         he shows how they would exhort one another to the same,
         and to kiss and worship these calves which were their
         idols.

Hosea 13:4
13:4 Yet I [am] the LORD thy God {e} from the land of Egypt, and
     thou shalt know no god but me: for [there is] no saviour
     beside me.

     (e) He calls them to repentance, and reproves their
         ingratitude.

Hosea 13:9
13:9 O Israel, thou {f} hast destroyed thyself; but in me [is]
     thine help.

     (f) Your destruction is certain, and my benefits toward you
         declare that it comes not from me: therefore your own
         malice, idolatry, and vain confidence in men must
         necessarily be the cause of it.

Hosea 13:10
13:10 {g} I 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?

      (g) I am all one; James 1:17.

Hosea 13:12
13:12 The iniquity of Ephraim [is] {h} bound up; his sin [is]
      hid.

      (h) It is surely laid up to be punished, as in Jeremiah 17:1.

Hosea 13:13
13:13 The 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 {i} breaking forth of children.

      (i) But would come out of the womb, that is out of these
          dangers in which he is, and not wait to be suppressed.

Hosea 13:14
13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will
      redeem them from death: O {k} death, I will be thy
      plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: {l}
      repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

      (k) Meaning that no power will resist God when he will
          deliver his own, but even in death he will give them
          life.
      (l) Because they will not turn to me, I will change my
          purpose.