Hosea 10

1 Israel is a luxuriant vine that puts forth his fruit. According to the abundance of his fruit he has multiplied his altars. According to the goodness of their land they have made goodly pillars.

Israel is a leafy vine, its fruit has been suitable to him. According to the multitude of his fruit, he has multiplied altars; according to the fertility of his land, he has abounded with graven images.

2 Their heart is divided. Now they shall be found guilty. He will smite their altars. He will destroy their pillars.

His heart has been divided, so now they will cross the divide. He will break apart their images; he will plunder their sanctuaries.

3 Surely now they shall say, We have no king, for we fear not Jehovah. And the king, what can he do for us?

For now they will say, “We have no king. For we do not fear the Lord. And what would a king do for us?”

4 They speak vain words, swearing falsely in making covenants. Therefore judgment springs up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

You speak words about a useless vision, and you will strike a deal. And judgment will spring up like bitterness in the furrows of the field.

5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall be in terror for the calves of Beth-aven. For the people of it shall mourn over it, and the priests of it, who rejoiced over it for the glory of it, because it has departed from it.

The inhabitants of Samaria have worshipped the calf of Bethaven. For the keepers of its temple, who had exulted over it in its glory, and its people, have mourned over it because it migrated from there.

6 It shall also be carried to Assyria for a present to king Jareb. Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

If, indeed, it also has been offered to Assur, as a gift for the Avenging king, confusion will seize Ephraim, and Israel will be confounded by his own will.

7 As for Samaria, its king is cut off, as foam upon the water.

Samaria has required her king to pass by, like foam on the face of the water.

8 The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed. The thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars, and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us, and to the hills, Fall on us.

And the heights of the idol, the sin of Israel, will be utterly destroyed. The burr and the thistle will rise up over their altars. And they will say to the mountains, ‘Cover us,’ and to the hills, ‘Fall on us.’

9 O Israel, thou have sinned from the days of Gibeah. There they stood. The battle against the sons of iniquity does not overtake them in Gibeah.

From the days of Gibeah, Israel has sinned; in this, they remained firm. The battle in Gibeah against the sons of iniquity will not take hold of them.

10 When it is my desire, I will chastise them. And the peoples shall be gathered against them, when they are bound to their two transgressions.

According to my desire, I will correct them. And the peoples will be gathered together over them, while they are chastised for their two iniquities.

11 And Ephraim is a heifer that is taught, that loves to tread out the grain. But I have passed over upon her fair neck. I will set a rider on Ephraim. Judah shall plow. Jacob shall break his clods.

Ephraim is a heifer that has been taught to love treading out the grain, but I passed over the beauty of her neck. I will rise over Ephraim. Judah will plough; Jacob will break up the soil for himself.

12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness. Reap according to kindness. Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek Jehovah, till he comes and rains righteousness upon you.

Sow for yourselves in justice, and harvest in the mouth of mercy; renew your fallow land. But the time when you will seek the Lord is the time when he will arrive who will teach you justice.

13 Ye have plowed wickedness. Ye have reaped iniquity. Ye have eaten the fruit of lies. For thou trusted in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.

You have ploughed impiety; you have harvested iniquity; you have eaten the fruit of lies. For you had confidence in your ways, in the multitude of your good fortunes.

14 Therefore a tumult shall arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel in the day of battle; the mother was dashed in pieces with her sons.

A tumult will arise among your people. And all your fortifications will be laid waste, just as Salman was destroyed by the house of him that judged Baal on the day of the battle, the mother having been crushed against her sons.

15 So shall Bethel do to you because of your great wickedness. At daybreak the king of Israel shall be utterly cut off.

So has Bethel done to you, before the face of your malicious wickedness.