Hosea 10
1 Israel is like a spreading vine that produces fruit for itself. The more fruit they produced, the more altars they built. The more productive the land, the more beautiful they made the sacred pillars.
Israel is a emptie vine, yet hath it brought foorth fruite vnto it selfe, and according to the multitude of the fruite thereof he hath increased the altars: according to the goodnesse of their lande they haue made faire images.
2 The people have minds that are deceptive, and now they must take responsibility for their guilt. The Lord will break apart their altars and destroy their sacred pillars.
Their heart is deuided: nowe shall they be founde faultie: he shall breake downe their altars: he shall destroy their images.
3 Then they will say, “We have no king, for we do not fear the Lord, and yet what would a king do for us?”
For now they shall say, We haue no King because we feared not the Lord: and what should a King doe to vs?
4 They speak empty words, swearing false promises to make a covenant. Their “justice” flourishes like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.
They haue spoken woordes, swearing falsly in making a couenant: thus iudgement groweth as wormewoode in the furrowes of the fielde.
5 Those who live in Samaria tremble in awe at the calf of Beth-aven. Its people mourn for it in their pagan rituals, while its idolatrous priests celebrate its glory. But it will certainly be taken away from them. It will be brought to Assyria as tribute for the great king.
The inhabitants of Samaria shall feare because of the calfe of Beth-auen: for the people thereof shall mourne ouer it, and the Chemarims thereof, that reioyced on it for the glorie thereof, because it is departed from it.
6 Ephraim will be disgraced, and Israel will be ashamed at its own decisions.
It shall bee also brought to Asshur, for a present vnto King Iareb: Ephraim shall receiue shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his owne counsell.
7 Samaria and its king will be destroyed, swept away like a twig on the surface of the water.
Of Samaria, the King thereof is destroyed as the some vpon the water.
8 The high places of Aven, where Israel sinned, will be demolished, and thorns and thistles will grow over their altars. Then they will call to the mountains, “Bury us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”
The hie places also of Auen shall be destroied, euen the sinne of Israel: the thorne and the thistle shall growe vpon their altars, and they shall say to the mountaines, Couer vs, and to the hils, Fall vpon vs.
9 Since the days of Gibeah you have been sinning, Israel, and you haven't changed. Do the people of Gibeah think that war will not come to them?
O Israel, thou hast sinned from the daies of Gibeah: there they stoode: the battell in Gibeah against the children of iniquitie did not touch them.
10 When I choose I will punish the wicked. The nations will be gathered together against them when they are punished for their double crime.
It is my desire that I should chastice them, and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall gather themselues in their two furrowes.
11 Ephraim is like a trained heifer that loved to thresh the grain, but now I will place a yoke on her strong neck. I will harness Ephraim; Judah will have to pull the plough; and Jacob must break up the ground for himself.
And Ephraim is as an heifer vsed to delite in threshing: but I will passe by her faire necke: I will make Ephraim to ride: Iudah shall plowe, and Iaakob shall breake his cloddes.
12 Sow for yourselves what is right and you will reap unfailing love. Break up the unploughed ground. It's time to go to the Lord until he comes and rains down goodness on you.
Sowe to your selues in righteousnes: reape after the measure of mercy: breake vp your fallowe grounde: for it is time to seeke the Lord, till he come and raine righteousnesse vpon you.
13 But instead you have planted wickedness and reaped an evil harvest. You have eaten the fruit of lies, because you trusted in your own strength and in your many warriors.
But you haue plowed wickednesse: ye haue reaped iniquitie: you haue eaten the fruite of lies: because thou didest trust in thine owne waies, and in the multitude of thy strong men,
14 The terrifying noise of battle will rise against your people, and all your fortresses will be destroyed, just as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel in the time of war. Even mothers and children were dashed to pieces.
Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy munitions shall be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbell in the daie of battell: the mother with the children was dashed in pieces.
15 This is what will happen to you, Bethel, because of your great wickedness. At dawn, the king of Israel will be utterly destroyed.
So shall Beth-el doe vnto you, because of your malicious wickednes: in a morning shall the King of Israel be destroied.
