Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁴ Some ^(F)wandered in desert wastes,
    finding no way ^(G)to a city to dwell in;
⁵ hungry and thirsty,
    their soul ^(H)fainted within them.
⁶ Then they ^(I)cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
⁷ He led them by ^(J)a straight way
    till they reached ^(K)a city to dwell in.
^8 (L)Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
⁹ For he ^(M)satisfies the longing soul,
    ^(N)and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

^43 (A)Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
    let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

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.