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11 Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh;
    so I will put a yoke on her beautiful neck.
    I will set a rider on Ephraim.
    Judah will plow.
    Jacob will break his clods.
12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness,
    reap according to kindness.
Break up your fallow ground;
    for it is time to seek Yahweh,
    until he comes and rains righteousness on you.
13 You have plowed wickedness.
    You have reaped iniquity.
    You have eaten the fruit of lies,
    for you trusted in your way, in the multitude of your mighty men.

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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.