Hosea 10

Chapter 10

The LORD’s Judgment against Israel

1 How prosperous Israel is—
a luxuriant vine loaded with fruit.
But the richer the people get,
the more pagan altars they build.
The more bountiful their harvests,
the more beautiful their sacred pillars.2 The hearts of the people are fickle;
they are guilty and must be punished.
The LORD will break down their altars
and smash their sacred pillars.3 Then they will say, “We have no king
because we didn’t fear the LORD.
But even if we had a king,
what could he do for us anyway?”4 They spout empty words
and make covenants they don’t intend to keep.
So injustice springs up among them
like poisonous weeds in a farmer’s field.5 The people of Samaria tremble in fear
for what might happen to their calf idol at Beth-aven.t
The people mourn and the priests wail,
because its glory will be stripped away.t6 This idol will be carted away to Assyria,
a gift to the great king there.
Ephraim will be ridiculed and Israel will be shamed,
because its people have trusted in this idol.7 Samaria and its king will be cut off;
they will float away like driftwood on an ocean wave.8 And the pagan shrines of Aven,t the place of Israel’s sin, will crumble.
Thorns and thistles will grow up around their altars.
They will beg the mountains, “Bury us!”
and plead with the hills, “Fall on us!”9 The LORD says, “O Israel, ever since Gibeah,
there has been only sin and more sin!
You have made no progress whatsoever.
Was it not right that the wicked men of Gibeah were attacked?10 Now whenever it fits my plan,
I will attack you, too.
I will call out the armies of the nations
to punish you for your multiplied sins.11 “Israelt 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 Israelt 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.14 Now the terrors of war
will rise among your people.
All your fortifications will fall,
just as when Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel.
Even mothers and children
were dashed to death there.15 You will share that fate, Bethel,
because of your great wickedness.
When the day of judgment 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.