HoseaChapter 10

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¹Israel was a rich, spreading vine,
making fruit for himself.
The more his fruit grew,
the more altars he built.
The better his land did,
the finer he made his sacred pillars. ²Their hearts are false.
Now they must carry their guilt.
The LORD will break down their altars
and tear down their sacred pillars. ³Surely now they will say,
"We have no king,
for we do not fear the LORD.
And what could a king do for us?" ⁴They speak empty words.
They make covenants with false promises.
So judgment springs up
like poison weeds in a plowed field. ⁵The people of Samaria will be afraid
for the calf of Beth-aven.
Its people will mourn over it.
So will its idol priests,
who were glad about its glory.
For it has been taken away from them into exile. ⁶Yes, it will be carried to Assyria
as a payment to the great king.
Ephraim will be filled with shame.
Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols. ⁷Samaria and her king will be carried off
like a twig floating on the water. ⁸The high places of Aven will be destroyed.
They are the sin of Israel.
Thorns and thistles will grow over their altars.
Then they will say to the mountains, "Cover us!"
They will say to the hills, "Fall on us!" ⁹Israel, you have sinned since the days of Gibeah,
and there you have stayed.
Did war not catch up with the wicked in Gibeah? ¹⁰When I choose, I will punish them.
Nations will be gathered against them
to put them in chains
for their double sin. ¹¹Ephraim is a well-trained young cow
that loves to thresh grain.
But I will put a yoke on her fine neck.
I will hitch up Ephraim.
Judah will plow,
and Jacob will break up the hard ground. ¹²Plant what is right for yourselves,
and harvest the fruit of faithful love.
Break up your unplowed ground.
For it is time to seek the LORD,
until he comes
and rains down what is right on you. ¹³You have plowed evil
and harvested what is unfair.
You have eaten the fruit of lies.
Because you have trusted in your own way
and in your many mighty soldiers, ¹⁴the roar of battle will rise against your people.
All your forts will be torn down,
as Shalman wrecked Beth-arbel in the day of battle.
Then mothers were smashed to pieces
along with their children. ¹⁵This is what will be done to you, Bethel,
because your evil is so great.
When the day dawns,
the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.