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.
A luxuriant vine is Israel. He bore fruit lavishly. In proportion to the increase of his fruit he increased altars to idols. In proportion to the beauty of his land he made beautiful the sacred pillars.
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 false, now they must be punished. God himself will break the necks of their altars, he will destroy their sacred pillars.
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?”
Yes, soon they will be saying, “We have no king, for we have not revered the Lord, and a king, what could he do for us anyway?”
4 They speak empty words, swearing false promises to make a covenant. Their “justice” flourishes like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.
Speaking words, perjuring themselves, making agreements, and litigation springs up like a poisonous weed in a plowed field.
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 will tremble with fear for their calf of Beth-aven. Its people will mourn over it, and so will its priests, who had rejoiced for its glory, now departed from it.
6 Ephraim will be disgraced, and Israel will be ashamed at its own decisions.
It will be carried off to Assyria as a present to the patron king. Disgrace will Ephraim bear and Israel will be ashamed of its idol.
7 Samaria and its king will be destroyed, swept away like a twig on the surface of the water.
As for Samaria, her king will disappear, like foam on the face of the waters.
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!”
And the high places of Aven will be destroyed, the shrines of Israel’s sin, thorns and thistles will grow on their altars, and they will say to the mountains, “Cover us,” and to the hills, “Fall upon us.”
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?
From the time of Gibeah, Israel has sinned. There they took their stand. Will not war overtake them in Gibeah because of the wicked?
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.
When I please, I will punish them. Nations will gather against them to chain them for their double crimes.
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.
Ephraim indeed was a trained heifer that loved to thresh grain, and I myself laid a yoke upon his fair neck, I made Ephraim draw and Judah must plow, Jacob must turn the soil for himself.
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.
Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruits of love. Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, so righteousness may come to 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 have plowed wickedness, iniquity have you reaped. You have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own path, in the multitude of your warriors,
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.
the alarm of war will sound in your cities and all your fortresses will be ruined, as Shalman laid in ruins Beth-arbel in the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces over their children.
15 This is what will happen to you, Bethel, because of your great wickedness. At dawn, the king of Israel will be utterly destroyed.
Thus will I do to you, Bethel, because of the enormity of your wickedness. When dawn breaks, so will the king of Israel be broken.
