11 Ephraim is a trained (A)heifer that loves to thresh,
[a]And I (B)passed over her lovely neck;
I will harness Ephraim,
Judah will plow, Jacob will [b]harrow for himself.
12 (C)Sow for yourselves, with a view to righteousness;
Harvest in accordance with [c]kindness.
(D)Break up your uncultivated ground,
For it is time to (E)seek the Lord
Until He (F)comes and (G)rains righteousness on you.
13 You have (H)plowed wickedness, you have harvested injustice,
You have eaten the fruit of (I)lies.
Because you have trusted in your way, in your (J)many warriors,

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 10:11 Or But I put a yoke on her lovely
  2. Hosea 10:11 I.e., pull a harrow, a farming device
  3. Hosea 10:12 Or loyalty

11 “Israel[a] is like a trained heifer treading out the grain—
    an easy job she loves.
    But I will put a heavy yoke on her tender neck.
I will force Judah to pull the plow
    and Israel[b] to break up the hard ground.
12 I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness,
    and you will harvest a crop of love.
Plow up the hard ground of your hearts,
    for now is the time to seek the Lord,
that he may come
    and shower righteousness upon you.’

13 “But you have cultivated wickedness
    and harvested a thriving crop of sins.
You have eaten the fruit of lies—
    trusting in your military might,
believing that great armies
    could make your nation safe.

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Footnotes

  1. 10:11a Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel.
  2. 10:11b Hebrew Jacob. The names “Jacob” and “Israel” are often interchanged throughout the Old Testament, referring sometimes to the individual patriarch and sometimes to the nation.