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.
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 Their heart is deceitful; now they must bear their guilt. Yahweh will demolish their altars; he will destroy their 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 For then they will say, “We have no king, for we did not fear Yahweh, and a king—what could he 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 and make covenants by swearing falsely. So justice springs up 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 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 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 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 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's king will be destroyed, like a chip of wood 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 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!”
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 “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 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 desire it, I will discipline them. The nations will gather together against them and put them in bonds for their double iniquity.
When I please, I will punish them. Nations will gather against them to chain them for their double crimes.
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.
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 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 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 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.
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 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.
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 So it will happen to you, Bethel, because of your great wickedness. At daybreak the king of Israel will be completely cut off.”
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.
