10 (A)Israel is a luxuriant vine
    that yields its fruit.
The more his fruit increased,
    (B)the more altars he built;
as his country improved,
    he improved his pillars.
Their heart is false;
    now they must bear their guilt.
The Lord[a] will break down their altars
    and destroy their pillars.

For now they will say:
    (C)“We have no king,
for we do not fear the Lord;
    and a king—what could he do for us?”
They utter (D)mere words;
    with empty[b] oaths they make covenants;
so (E)judgment springs up like poisonous weeds
    (F)in the furrows of the field.
The inhabitants of Samaria tremble
    for (G)the calf[c] of (H)Beth-aven.
Its people mourn for it, and so do its idolatrous priests—
    those who rejoiced over it and (I)over its glory—
    for it has departed[d] from them.
(J)The thing itself shall be carried to Assyria
    as tribute to (K)the great king.[e]
Ephraim shall be put to shame,
    and Israel shall be ashamed (L)of his idol.[f]

(M)Samaria's king shall perish
    like a twig on the face of the waters.
The high places of (N)Aven, (O)the sin of Israel,
    shall be destroyed.
(P)Thorn and thistle shall grow up
    on their altars,
and (Q)they shall say to the mountains, “Cover us,”
    and to the hills, “Fall on us.”

From (R)the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, O Israel;
    there they have continued.
    Shall not the war against the unjust[g] overtake them in Gibeah?
10 (S)When I please, (T)I will discipline them,
    and nations shall be gathered against them
    when they are bound up for (U)their double iniquity.

11 Ephraim was a trained calf
    that (V)loved to thresh,
    and I spared her fair neck;
but I will put (W)Ephraim to the yoke;
    (X)Judah must plow;
    Jacob must harrow for himself.
12 (Y)Sow for yourselves righteousness;
    reap steadfast love;
    (Z)break up your fallow ground,
for it is the time to seek the Lord,
    that he may come and (AA)rain righteousness upon you.

13 (AB)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 (AC)the tumult of war shall arise among your people,
    and all your fortresses shall be destroyed,
as (AD)Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle;
    (AE)mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.
15 Thus it shall be done to you, O (AF)Bethel,
    because of your great evil.
At dawn (AG)the king of Israel
    shall be utterly cut off.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 10:2 Hebrew He
  2. Hosea 10:4 Or vain (see Exodus 20:7)
  3. Hosea 10:5 Or calves
  4. Hosea 10:5 Or has gone into exile
  5. Hosea 10:6 Or to King Jareb
  6. Hosea 10:6 Or counsel
  7. Hosea 10:9 Hebrew the children of injustice

Retribution for Israel’s Sin

10 Israel is a luxuriant (A)vine;
He produces fruit for himself.
The more his fruit,
The more altars he (B)made;
The [a]richer his land,
The better [b]he made the (C)memorial stones.
Their heart is [c](D)deceitful;
Now they must suffer for their (E)guilt.
[d]The Lord will (F)break down their altars
And destroy their memorial stones.

Certainly now they will say, “We have (G)no king,
For we do not revere the Lord.
As for the king, what can he do for us?”
They speak mere words,
[e]With (H)worthless oaths they make covenants;
And (I)judgment sprouts like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.
The inhabitants of Samaria will fear
For the [f](J)calf of (K)Beth-aven.
Indeed, its people will mourn for it,
And its (L)idolatrous priests [g]will cry out over it,
Over its (M)glory, since it has left it.
The thing itself will be brought to (N)Assyria
As a gift of tribute to [h](O)King Jareb;
Ephraim will [i]be (P)seized with shame,
And Israel will be ashamed of its (Q)own plan.
Samaria will be (R)destroyed with her king,
Like a twig on the surface of the water.
Also the (S)high places of Aven, the (T)sin of Israel, will be destroyed;
(U)Thorns and thistles will grow on their altars;
Then they will (V)say to the mountains,
“Cover us!” And to the hills, “Fall on us!”
Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, Israel;
There they stand!
Will the battle against the sons of injustice not overtake them in Gibeah?
10 When it is My (W)desire, I will [j](X)discipline them;
And (Y)the peoples will be gathered against them
When they are bound for their double guilt.

11 Ephraim is a trained (Z)heifer that loves to thresh,
[k]And I (AA)passed over her lovely neck;
I will harness Ephraim,
Judah will plow, Jacob will [l]harrow for himself.
12 (AB)Sow for yourselves, with a view to righteousness;
Harvest in accordance with [m]kindness.
(AC)Break up your uncultivated ground,
For it is time to (AD)seek the Lord
Until He (AE)comes and (AF)rains righteousness on you.
13 You have (AG)plowed wickedness, you have harvested injustice,
You have eaten the fruit of (AH)lies.
Because you have trusted in your way, in your (AI)many warriors,
14 An uproar will arise among your people,
And all your (AJ)fortresses will be destroyed,
As Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle,
When (AK)mothers were [n]slaughtered with their children.
15 So it will be done to you at Bethel because of your great wickedness.
At dawn the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 10:1 Lit better
  2. Hosea 10:1 Lit they
  3. Hosea 10:2 Lit slippery; or divided
  4. Hosea 10:2 Lit He
  5. Hosea 10:4 Or Swearing falsely in making a covenant
  6. Hosea 10:5 As in some ancient versions; MT calves
  7. Hosea 10:5 Or who used to rejoice over
  8. Hosea 10:6 Another reading is the great king; or the contentious king
  9. Hosea 10:6 Lit receive shame
  10. Hosea 10:10 Or instruct
  11. Hosea 10:11 Or But I put a yoke on her lovely
  12. Hosea 10:11 I.e., pull a harrow, a farming device
  13. Hosea 10:12 Or loyalty
  14. Hosea 10:14 Lit shattered