HOSEA 10 [†] q Israel is a luxuriant vine
that yields its fruit.
The more his fruit increased,
r the more altars he built;
as his country improved,
he improved his pillars.
2 Their heart is false;
now they must bear their guilt.
The LORD [1] will break down their altars
and destroy their pillars.
3[†] For now they will say:
s “We have no king,
for we do not fear the LORD;
and a king—what could he do for us?”
with empty oaths they make covenants;
so u judgment springs up like poisonous weeds
v in the furrows of the field.
5[†] The inhabitants of Samaria tremble
for w the calf [2] of x Beth-aven.
Its people mourn for it, and so do its idolatrous priests—
those who rejoiced over it and y over its glory—
for it has departed [3] from them.
6[^][†] z The thing itself shall be carried to Assyria
as tribute to a the great king. [4]
Ephraim shall be put to shame,
and Israel shall be ashamed b of his idol. [5]
7[†] c Samaria’s king shall perish
like a twig on the face of the waters.
8[^][†] The high places of x Aven, d the sin of Israel,
shall be destroyed.
e Thorn and thistle shall grow up
on their altars,
and f they shall say to the mountains, “Cover us,”
and to the hills, “Fall on us.”
9[†] From g the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, O Israel;
there they have continued.
Shall not the war against the unjust [6] overtake them in Gibeah?
10[†] h When I please, i I will discipline them,
and nations shall be gathered against them
when they are bound up for j their double iniquity.
11[†] Ephraim was a trained calf
that k loved to thresh,
and I spared her fair neck;
but I will put l Ephraim to the yoke;
l Judah must plow;
Jacob must harrow for himself.
12[^] m Sow for yourselves righteousness;
reap steadfast love;
n break up your fallow ground,
for it is the time to seek the LORD,
that he may come and o rain righteousness upon you.
13 p You have plowed iniquity;
you have reaped injustice;
you have eaten the fruit of lies.
Because you have trusted in your own way
and in the multitude of your warriors,
14[†] therefore q the tumult of war shall arise among your people,
and all your fortresses shall be destroyed,
as r Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle;
s mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.
15 Thus it shall be done to you, O t Bethel,
because of your great evil.
At dawn a the king of Israel
shall be utterly cut off.