Hosea 10

1 Israel was a spreading vine;
he brought forth fruit for himself.
As his fruit increased,
he built more altars;
as his land prospered,
he adorned his sacred stones.

2 Their heart is deceitful,
and now they must bear their guilt.
The Lord will demolish their altars
and destroy their sacred stones.

3 Then they will say, “We have no king
because we did not revere the Lord.
But even if we had a king,
what could he do for us?”

4 They make many promises,
take false oaths
and make agreements;
therefore lawsuits spring up
like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.

5 The people who live in Samaria fear
for the calf-idol of Beth Aven.
Its people will mourn over it,
and so will its idolatrous priests,
those who had rejoiced over its splendor,
because it is taken from them into exile.

6 It will be carried to Assyria
as tribute for the great king.
Ephraim will be disgraced;
Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols.

7 Samaria and its king will float away
like a twig on the surface of the waters.

8 The high places of wickedness will be destroyed—
it is the sin of Israel.
Thorns and thistles will grow up
and cover their altars.
Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

9 “Since the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, O Israel,
and there you have remained.
Did not war overtake
the evildoers in Gibeah?

10 When I please, I will punish them;
nations will be gathered against them
to put them in bonds for their double sin.

11 Ephraim is a trained heifer
that loves to thresh;
so I will put a yoke
on her fair neck.
I will drive Ephraim,
Judah must plow,
and Jacob must break up the ground.

12 Sow for yourselves righteousness,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
for it is time to seek the Lord,
until he comes
and showers righteousness on you.

13 But you have planted wickedness,
you have reaped evil,
you have eaten the fruit of deception.
Because you have depended on your own strength
and on your many warriors,

14 the roar of battle will rise against your people,
so that all your fortresses will be devastated—
as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle,
when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.

15 Thus will it happen to you, O Bethel,
because your wickedness is great.
When that day dawns,
the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.

HOSEA 10

1 You were a healthy vine
covered with grapes.
But the more grapes you grew,
the more altars you built;
the better off you became,
the better shrines you set up
for pagan gods.

2 You are deceitful and disloyal.
So you will pay
for your sins,
because the [Lord] will destroy
your altars and images.

3 “We don't have a king,”
you will say.
“We don't fear the [Lord].
And what good are kings?”

4 Israel, you break treaties
and don't keep promises;
you turn justice
into poisonous weeds
where healthy plants should grow.t

5 All who live in Samaria tremble
with concern for the idolst
at sinful Bethel.t
The idol there was the pride
of the priests,
but it has been put to shame;
now everyone will cry.

6 It will be taken to Assyria
and given to the great king.
Then Israel will be disgraced
for worshiping that idol.

7 Like a twig in a stream,
the king of Samaria
will be swept away.

8  t The altars at sinful Bethel
will be destroyed
for causing Israel to sin;
they will be grown over
with thorns and thistles.
Then everyone will beg
the mountains and hills
to cover and protect them.

The [Lord] Promises //To Punish Israel

9  t Israel, you have never
stopped sinningt
since that time at Gibeah.t
That's why you
will be attacked at Gibeah.t

10 Your sins have doubled,
and you are rebellious.
Now I have decided
to send nations to attack
and put you in chains.

11 Once you were obedient
like a calf
that loved to thresh grain.
But I will put a harness
on your beautiful neck;
you and Judah must plow
and cultivate the ground.

12  t Plow your fields,
scatter seeds of justice,
and harvest faithfulness.
Worship me, the [Lord],
and I will send my saving power
down like rain.

13 You have planted evil,
harvested injustice, and eaten
the fruit of your lies.
You trusted your own strength
and your powerful forces.

14 So war will break out,
and your fortresses
will be destroyed.
Your enemies will do to you
what Shalmant did to the people
of Beth-Arbel—
mothers and their children
will be beaten to death
against rocks.

15 Bethel, this will be your fate
because of your evil.
Israel, at dawn your king
will be killed.