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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.

The Trained Heifer

11 And Ephraim is a trained (A)heifer that loves to thresh,
But I will (B)come over her fair neck with a yoke;
I will harness Ephraim;
Judah will plow; Jacob will harrow for himself.
12 (C)Sow with a view to righteousness,
Reap in accordance with lovingkindness;
(D)Break up your fallow ground,
Indeed, it is time to (E)seek Yahweh
Until He (F)comes and [a](G)rains righteousness on you.
13 You have (H)plowed wickedness; you have reaped injustice;
You have eaten the fruit of (I)deception.
Because you have trusted in your way, in your (J)abundant warriors,

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 10:12 Or teaches