Hosea 10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Israel’s Sin and Captivity
10 Israel is a luxuriant vine
that yields its fruit.
The more his fruit increased,
the more altars he built;
as his country improved,
he improved his pillars.(A)
2 Their heart is false;
now they must bear their guilt.
The Lord[a] will break down their altars
and destroy their pillars.(B)
3 For now they will say:
“We have no king,
for we do not fear the Lord,
and a king—what could he do for us?”
4 They utter mere words;
with empty oaths they make covenants;
so litigation springs up like poisonous weeds
in the furrows of the field.(C)
5 The inhabitants of Samaria tremble
for the calf[b] of Beth-aven.
Its people shall mourn for it,
and its idolatrous priests shall wail[c] over it,
over its glory that has departed from it.(D)
6 The thing itself shall be carried to Assyria
as tribute to the great king.[d]
Ephraim shall be put to shame,
and Israel shall be ashamed of his idol.[e](E)
7 Samaria’s king shall perish
like a chip on the face of the waters.(F)
8 The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel,
shall be destroyed.
Thorn and thistle shall grow up
on their altars.
They shall say to the mountains, “Cover us,”
and to the hills, “Fall on us.”(G)
9 Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel;
there they have continued.
Shall not war overtake them in Gibeah?(H)
10 I will come[f] against the wayward people to punish them,
and nations shall be gathered against them
when they are punished[g] for their double iniquity.(I)
11 Ephraim was a trained heifer
that loved to thresh,
and I spared her fair neck,
but I will make Ephraim break the ground;
Judah must plow;
Jacob must harrow for himself.(J)
12 Sow for yourselves righteousness;
reap steadfast love;
break up your fallow ground,
for it is time to seek the Lord,
that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.(K)
13 You have plowed wickedness;
you have reaped injustice;
you have eaten the fruit of lies.
Because you have trusted in your chariots,[h]
in the multitude of your warriors,(L)
14 therefore the tumult of war shall rise against your people,
and all your fortresses shall be destroyed,
as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle,
when mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.(M)
15 Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel,
because of your great wickedness.
At dawn the king of Israel
shall be utterly cut off.(N)
Hosea 10
English Standard Version
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.
2 Their heart is false;
now they must bear their guilt.
The Lord[a] will break down their altars
and destroy their pillars.
3 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?”
4 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.
5 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.
6 (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]
7 (M)Samaria's king shall perish
like a twig on the face of the waters.
8 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.”
9 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
- Hosea 10:2 Hebrew He
- Hosea 10:4 Or vain (see Exodus 20:7)
- Hosea 10:5 Or calves
- Hosea 10:5 Or has gone into exile
- Hosea 10:6 Or to King Jareb
- Hosea 10:6 Or counsel
- Hosea 10:9 Hebrew the children of injustice
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.