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Chapter 10

Destruction of Idolatrous Cultic Objects

(A)Israel is a luxuriant vine
    whose fruit matches its growth.
The more abundant his fruit,
    the more altars he built;
The more productive his land,
    the more sacred pillars[a] he set up.
Their heart is false!
    Now they will pay for their guilt:
God will break down their altars
    and destroy their sacred pillars.
For now they will say,
    “We have no king![b]
Since we do not fear the Lord,
    the king—what could he do for us?”

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Footnotes

  1. 10:1 Sacred pillars: see note on 3:4.
  2. 10:3 No king: the instability of the monarchy (7:3–7) and its vassalage to foreign kings (7:8–16) render the monarchy ineffective. The kings do the opposite of what they are supposed to do (10:4).

Samaria and her king will disappear,
    like a twig upon the waters.
The high places of Aven[a] will be destroyed,
    the sin of Israel;
    thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars.
Then they will cry out to the mountains, “Cover us!”
    and to the hills, “Fall upon us!”(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 10:8 Aven: wickedness, first of all at Bethel (v. 5), but also at all the high places.

12 “Sow for yourselves justice,
    reap the reward of loyalty;
Break up for yourselves a new field,(A)
    for it is time to seek the Lord,
    till he comes and rains justice upon you.”(B)

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