Hosea 10

1 Israel is a branching vine, full of fruit; as his fruit is increased, so the number of his altars is increased; as the land is fair, so they have made fair pillars.

Israel is a luxuriant vine that puts forth his fruit. According to the abundance of his fruit he has multiplied his altars. As their land has prospered, they have adorned their sacred stones.

2 Their mind is taken away; now they will be made waste: he will have their altars broken down, he will give their pillars to destruction.

Their heart is divided. Now they will be found guilty. He will demolish their altars. He will destroy their sacred stones.

3 Now, truly, they will say, We have no king, we have no fear of the Lord; and the king, what is he able to do for us?

Surely now they will say, "We have no king; for we do not fear the LORD; and the king, what can he do for us?"

4 Their words are foolish; they make agreements with false oaths, so punishment will come up like a poison-plant in a ploughed field.

They make promises, swearing falsely in making covenants. Therefore judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.

5 The people of Samaria will be full of fear because of the ox of Beth-aven; its people will have sorrow for it, and its priests will give cries of grief for its glory, for the glory has gone in flight.

The inhabitants of Samaria will be in terror for the calves of Beth Aven; for its people will mourn over it, Along with its priests who rejoiced over it, for its glory, because it has departed from it.

6 And they will take it to Assyria and give it to the great king; shame will come on Ephraim, and Israel will be shamed because of its image.

It also will be carried bound to Assyria as tribute for a great king. Ephraim will receive shame, and Israel will be ashamed of his own counsel.

7 As for Samaria, her king is cut off, like mist on the water.

Samaria and her king float away, like a twig on the water.

8 And the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, will come to destruction; thorns and waste plants will come up on their altars; they will say to the mountains, Be a cover over us; and to the hills, Come down on us.

The high places also of Beth Aven, the sin of Israel, will be destroyed. The thorn and the thistle will grow on their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us." and to the hills, "Cover us."

9 O Israel, you have done evil from the days of Gibeah; there they took up their position, so that the fighting against the children of evil might not overtake them in Gibeah.

"Israel, you have sinned from the days of Gibeah. There they remained. The battle against the children of iniquity doesn't overtake them in Gibeah.

10 I will come and give them punishment; and the peoples will come together against them when I give them the reward of their two sins.

I am coming to discipline them; and the nations will be gathered against them, when they are disciplined for their two transgressions.

11 And Ephraim is a trained cow, taking pleasure in crushing the grain; but I have put a yoke on her fair neck; I will put a horseman on the back of Ephraim; Judah will be working the plough, Jacob will be turning up the earth.

Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh; so I will put a yoke on her beautiful neck. I will set a rider on Ephraim. Judah will plow. Jacob will break his clods.

12 Put in the seed of righteousness, get in your grain in mercy, let your unploughed earth be turned up: for it is time to make search for the Lord, till he comes and sends righteousness on you like rain.

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap according to kindness. Break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and rains righteousness on you.

13 You have been ploughing sin, you have got in a store of evil, the fruit of deceit has been your food: for you put faith in your way, in the number of your men of war.

You have plowed wickedness. You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, for you trusted in your way, in the multitude of your mighty men.

14 So a great outcry will go up from among your people, and all your strong places will be broken, as Beth-arbel was broken by Shalman in the day of war, as the mother was broken on the rocks with her children.

Therefore a battle roar will arise among your people, and all your fortresses will be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel in the day of battle. The mother was dashed in pieces with her children.

15 So will Beth-el do to you because of your evil-doing; at dawn will the king of Israel be cut off completely.

So Bethel will do to you because of your great wickedness. At daybreak the king of Israel will be destroyed.