Hosea 10

1 Israel was a luxuriant vine, which put forth fruit freely: as his fruit increased, he increased his altars; the more goodly his land was, the more goodly were his pillars.

Israel was a luxuriant vine, yielding fruit for himself. The more his fruit increased, the more he increased the altars. The better his land produced, the better he made the sacred pillars.

2 Their heart is divided; now shall they bear their guilt; He will break down their altars, He will spoil their pillars.

Their hearts are devious; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and demolish their sacred pillars.

3 Surely now shall they say: 'We have no king; for we feared not the LORD; and the king, what can he do for us?'

Surely now they will say, “We have no king, for we do not revere the LORD. What can a king do for us?”

4 They speak words, they swear falsely, they make covenants; thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

They speak mere words; with false oaths they make covenants. So judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.

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

The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn with its idolatrous priests— those who rejoiced in its glory— for it has been taken from them into exile.

6 It also shall be carried unto Assyria, for a present to King Contentious; Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

Yes, it will be carried to Assyria as tribute to the great king. Ephraim will be seized with shame; Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols.

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

Samaria will be carried off with her king like a twig on the surface of the water.

8 The high places also of Aven shall be destroyed, even the sin of Israel. 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 Aven will be destroyed— it is the sin of Israel; thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

9 From the days of Gibeah thou hast sinned, O Israel; there they stood; no battle was to overtake them in Gibeah, nor the children of arrogancy.

Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel, and there you have remained. Did not the battle in Gibeah overtake the sons of iniquity?

10 When it is My desire, I will chastise them; and the peoples shall be gathered against them, when they are yoked to their two rings.

I will chasten them when I please; nations will be gathered against them to put them in bondage for their double transgression.

11 And Ephraim is a heifer well broken, that loveth to thresh, and I have passed over upon her fair neck; I will make Ephraim to ride, Judah shall plow, Jacob shall break his clods.

Ephraim is a well-trained heifer that loves to thresh; but I will place a yoke on her fair neck. I will harness Ephraim, Judah will plow, and Jacob will break the hard ground.

12 Sow to yourselves according to righteousness, reap according to mercy, break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, till He come and cause righteousness to rain upon you.

Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.

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

You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your mighty men,

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

the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be demolished as Shalman devastated Beth-arbel in the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces along with their children.

15 So hath Beth-el done unto you because of your great wickedness; at daybreak is the king of Israel utterly cut off.

Thus it will be done to you, O Bethel, because of your great wickedness. When the day dawns, the king of Israel will be utterly cut off.