Hosea 10

1 Israel is an unpruned vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the abundance of his fruit he hath multiplied altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly statues.

Israel is a vine with goodly branches, her fruit is abundant: according to the multitude of her fruits she has multiplied [her] altars; according to the wealth of his land, he has set up pillars.

2 Their heart is divided; now shall they be found guilty: he will break down their altars, he will destroy their statues.

They have divided their hearts; now shall they be utterly destroyed: he shall dig down their altars, their pillars shall mourn.

3 For now they will say, We have no king, for we feared not Jehovah; and a king, what can he do for us?

Because now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the Lord:

4 They speak [mere] words, swearing falsely in making a covenant; therefore shall judgment spring up as hemlock in the furrows of the fields.

and what should a king do for us, speaking false professions [as his] words? he will make a covenant: judgment shall spring up as a weed on the soil of the field.

5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calf of Beth-aven; for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the idolatrous priests thereof shall tremble for it, for its glory, because it is departed from it.

The inhabitants of Samaria shall dwell near the calf of the house of On; for the people of it mourned for it: and as they provoked him, they shall rejoice at his glory, because he has departed from them.

6 Yea, it shall be carried unto Assyria [as] a present for king Jareb: Ephraim shall be seized with shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

And having bound it for the Assyrians, they carried it away as presents to king Jarim: Ephraim shall receive a gift, and Israel shall be ashamed of his counsel.

7 As for Samaria her king is cut off as chips upon the face of the waters.

Samaria has cast off her king as a twig on the surface of the water.

8 And the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up upon their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us! and to the hills, Fall on us!

And the altars of On, the sins of Israel, shall be taken away: thorns and thistles shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.

9 From the days of Gibeah hast thou sinned, O Israel: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.

From the time the hills [existed] Israel has sinned: there they stood: war [waged] against the children of iniquity

10 At my pleasure will I chastise them; and the peoples shall be assembled against them, when they are bound for their two iniquities.

to chastise them shall not overtake them on the hill, the nations shall be gathered against them, when they are chastened for their two sins,

11 And Ephraim is a trained heifer, that loveth to tread out [the corn]; I have passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to draw; Judah shall plough, Jacob shall break his clods.

Ephraim is a heifer taught to love victory, but I will come upon the fair part of her neck: I will mount Ephraim; I will pass over Juda in silence; Jacob shall prevail against him.

12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap according to mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek Jehovah, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

Sow to yourselves for righteousness, gather in for the fruit of life: light you for yourselves the light of knowledge; seek the Lord till the fruits of righteousness come upon you.

13 Ye have ploughed wickedness, reaped iniquity, eaten the fruit of lies; for thou didst confide in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.

Therefore have you passed over ungodliness in silence, and reaped the sins of it? you have eaten false fruit; for you has trusted in your sins, in the abundance of your power.

14 And a tumult shall arise among thy peoples, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces with the children.

Therefore shall destruction rise up among your people, and all your strong places shall be ruined: as a prince Solomon [departed] out of the house of Jeroboam, in the days of battle they dashed the mother to the ground upon the children,

15 So shall Bethel do unto you because of the wickedness of your wickedness: at day-break shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.

thus will I do to you, O house of Israel, because of the unrighteousness of your sins.