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 luxuriant vine that produces his fruit. As his fruit increased, the more altars he built. As his land produced more, he improved his pillars.

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

Their heart is deceitful; now they must bear their guilt. Yahweh will demolish their altars; he will destroy their pillars.

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 then they will say, “We have no king, for we did not fear Yahweh, and a king—what could he 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.

They speak empty words and make covenants by swearing falsely. So justice springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a 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 will be afraid because of the calves of Beth Aven. Its people mourned over them, as did those idolatrous priests who had rejoiced over them and their splendor, but they are no longer 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.

They will be carried to Assyria as a present for the great king. Ephraim will be disgraced, and Israel will be ashamed of its idol.

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

Samaria's king will be destroyed, like a chip of wood on the surface 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.

The high places of wickedness will be destroyed. This is the sin of Israel! Thorns and thistles will grow over their altars. The people 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.

“Israel, you have sinned since the days of Gibeah; there you have remained. Will not war overtake the sons of wrong in Gibeah?

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.

When I desire it, I will discipline them. The nations will gather together against them and put them in bonds for their double iniquity.

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 trained heifer that loves to thresh the grain, so I will put a yoke on her fair neck. I will put a yoke on Ephraim; Judah will plow; Jacob will pull the harrow by 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 righteousness for yourselves, and reap the fruit of covenant faithfulness. Break up your unplowed ground, for it is time to seek Yahweh, until he comes and rains righteousness on you.

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 plowed wickedness; you reaped injustice. You have eaten the fruit of deception because you trusted in your plans and in your many soldiers.

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.

So a tumult of war will rise among your people, and all your fortified cities will be destroyed. It will be as Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel on a day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces with their children.

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

So it will happen to you, Bethel, because of your great wickedness. At daybreak the king of Israel will be completely cut off.”