Hosea 10

1 Israel is a luxuriant vine that produces his fruit. As his fruit increased, the more altars he built. As his land produced more, he improved his pillars.

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.

2 Their heart is deceitful; now they must bear their guilt. Yahweh will demolish their altars; he will destroy their pillars.

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

3 For then they will say, “We have no king, for we did not fear Yahweh, and a king—what could he do for us?”

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

4 They speak empty words and make covenants by swearing falsely. So justice springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.

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

5 The inhabitants of Samaria will be afraid because of the calves of Beth Aven. Its people mourned over them, as did those idolatrous priests who had rejoiced over them and their splendor, but they are no longer there.

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.

6 They will be carried to Assyria as a present for the great king. Ephraim will be disgraced, and Israel will be ashamed of its idol.

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.

7 Samaria's king will be destroyed, like a chip of wood on the surface of the water.

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

8 The high places of wickedness will be destroyed. This is the sin of Israel! Thorns and thistles will grow over their altars. The people will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

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.'

9 “Israel, you have sinned since the days of Gibeah; there you have remained. Will not war overtake the sons of wrong in Gibeah?

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.

10 When I desire it, I will discipline them. The nations will gather together against them and put them in bonds for their double iniquity.

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.

11 Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh the grain, so I will put a yoke on her fair neck. I will put a yoke on Ephraim; Judah will plow; Jacob will pull the harrow by himself.

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.

12 Sow righteousness for yourselves, and reap the fruit of covenant faithfulness. Break up your unplowed ground, for it is time to seek Yahweh, until he comes and rains righteousness on you.

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.

13 You have plowed wickedness; you reaped injustice. You have eaten the fruit of deception because you trusted in your plans and in your many soldiers.

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.

14 So a tumult of war will rise among your people, and all your fortified cities will be destroyed. It will be as Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel on a day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces with their children.

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.

15 So it will happen to you, Bethel, because of your great wickedness. At daybreak the king of Israel will be completely cut off.”

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