Israel’s Sin and Captivity

10 Israel (A)empties his vine;
He brings forth fruit for himself.
According to the multitude of his fruit
(B)He has increased the altars;
According to the bounty of his land
They have embellished his sacred pillars.
Their heart is (C)divided;[a]
Now they are held guilty.
He will break down their altars;
He will ruin their sacred pillars.

For now they say,
“We have no king,
Because we did not fear the Lord.
And as for a king, what would he do for us?”
They have spoken words,
Swearing falsely in making a covenant.
Thus judgment springs up (D)like hemlock in the furrows of the field.

The inhabitants of Samaria fear
Because of the (E)calf[b] of Beth Aven.
For its people mourn for it,
And [c]its priests shriek for it—
Because its (F)glory has departed from it.
The idol also shall be carried to Assyria
As a present for King (G)Jareb.
Ephraim shall receive shame,
And Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

As for Samaria, her king is cut off
Like a twig on the water.
Also the (H)high places of [d]Aven, (I)the sin of Israel,
Shall be destroyed.
The thorn and thistle shall grow on their altars;
(J)They shall say to the mountains, “Cover us!”
And to the hills, “Fall on us!”

“O Israel, you have sinned from the days of (K)Gibeah;
There they stood.
The (L)battle in Gibeah against the children of [e]iniquity
Did not [f]overtake them.
10 When it is My desire, I will chasten them.
(M)Peoples shall be gathered against them
When I bind them [g]for their two transgressions.
11 Ephraim is (N)a trained heifer
That loves to thresh grain;
But I harnessed her fair neck,
I will make Ephraim [h]pull a plow.
Judah shall plow;
Jacob shall break his clods.”

12 Sow for yourselves righteousness;
Reap in mercy;
(O)Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord,
Till He (P)comes and rains righteousness on you.

13 (Q)You have plowed wickedness;
You have reaped iniquity.
You have eaten the fruit of lies,
Because you trusted in your own way,
In the multitude of your mighty men.
14 Therefore tumult shall arise among your people,
And all your fortresses shall be plundered
As Shalman plundered Beth Arbel in the day of battle—
A mother dashed in pieces upon her children.
15 Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel,
Because of your great wickedness.
At dawn the king of Israel
Shall be cut off utterly.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 10:2 Divided in loyalty
  2. Hosea 10:5 Lit. calves, images
  3. Hosea 10:5 idolatrous priests
  4. Hosea 10:8 Lit. Idolatry or Wickedness
  5. Hosea 10:9 So with many Heb. mss., LXX, Vg.; MT unruliness
  6. Hosea 10:9 Or overcome
  7. Hosea 10:10 Or in their two habitations
  8. Hosea 10:11 Lit. to ride

10 Israel is an empty vine. It has brought forth fruit for itself. According to the multitude of its fruit, it has increased its altars. According to the goodness of its land, it has made fair images.

Their heart is divided. They shall now be found faulty. He shall break down their altars. He shall destroy their images.

For now they shall say, “We have no king because we did not fear the LORD. And what would a king do for us?”

They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant. Thus, judgment grows as wormwood in the furrows of the field.

The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calf of Beth Aven. For its people shall mourn over it, as well as its Chemarims, who cried over it because of its glory and because it has departed.

It shall also be brought to Assyria, as a present for King Jareb. Ephraim shall receive shame and Israel shall be ashamed of its own counsel.

Of Samaria, its king is destroyed, as the foam upon the water.

Also, the high places of Aven shall be destroyed, the sin of Israel. The thorn and the thistle shall grow upon their altars. And they shall say to the mountains, “Cover us,” and to the hills, “Fall upon us.”

“O Israel, you have sinned from the days of Gibeah! There they stood. The battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not touch them.

10 “It is My desire that I should chastise them. And the people shall be gathered against them when they shall gather themselves in their two furrows.

11 “And Ephraim is as a heifer that delights in threshing. But I will pass by her fair neck. I will make Ephraim ride. Judah shall plow and Jacob shall break his clods.”

12 Sow for yourselves in righteousness. Reap after the measure of mercy. Break up your fallow ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and rains righteousness upon you.

13 You have plowed wickedness. You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, because you trusted in your own ways and in the multitude of your strong men.

14 Therefore, a tumult shall arise among your people. And all your munitions shall be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel in the days of battle. The mother, with the children, was dashed in pieces.

15 So shall Bethel do to you, because of your malicious wickedness. The king of Israel shall be destroyed in a morning.

10 Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.

Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.

For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the Lord; what then should a king do to us?

They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.

It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

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

The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: 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.

O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.

10 It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.

11 And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.

12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

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

14 Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Betharbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.

15 So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.