Hosea 10

1 Israel was a luxuriant vine, which put forth fruit freely: as his fruit increased, he increased his altars; the more goodly his land was, the more goodly were his pillars.

A luxuriant vine is Israel. He bore fruit lavishly. In proportion to the increase of his fruit he increased altars to idols. In proportion to the beauty of his land he made beautiful the sacred pillars.

2 Their heart is divided; now shall they bear their guilt; He will break down their altars, He will spoil their pillars.

Their heart is false, now they must be punished. God himself will break the necks of their altars, he will destroy their sacred pillars.

3 Surely now shall they say: 'We have no king; for we feared not the LORD; and the king, what can he do for us?'

Yes, soon they will be saying, “We have no king, for we have not revered the Lord, and a king, what could he do for us anyway?”

4 They speak words, they swear falsely, they make covenants; thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

Speaking words, perjuring themselves, making agreements, and litigation springs up like a poisonous weed in a plowed field.

5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall be in dread for the calves of Beth-aven; for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof shall tremble for it, for its glory, because it is departed from it.

The inhabitants of Samaria will tremble with fear for their calf of Beth-aven. Its people will mourn over it, and so will its priests, who had rejoiced for its glory, now departed from it.

6 It also shall be carried unto Assyria, for a present to King Contentious; Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

It will be carried off to Assyria as a present to the patron king. Disgrace will Ephraim bear and Israel will be ashamed of its idol.

7 As for Samaria, her king is cut off, as foam upon the water.

As for Samaria, her king will disappear, like foam on the face of the waters.

8 The high places also of Aven shall be destroyed, even the sin of Israel. The thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains: 'Cover us', and to the hills: 'Fall on us.'

And the high places of Aven will be destroyed, the shrines of Israel’s sin, thorns and thistles will grow on their altars, and they will say to the mountains, “Cover us,” and to the hills, “Fall upon us.”

9 From the days of Gibeah thou hast sinned, O Israel; there they stood; no battle was to overtake them in Gibeah, nor the children of arrogancy.

From the time of Gibeah, Israel has sinned. There they took their stand. Will not war overtake them in Gibeah because of the wicked?

10 When it is My desire, I will chastise them; and the peoples shall be gathered against them, when they are yoked to their two rings.

When I please, I will punish them. Nations will gather against them to chain them for their double crimes.

11 And Ephraim is a heifer well broken, that loveth to thresh, and I have passed over upon her fair neck; I will make Ephraim to ride, Judah shall plow, Jacob shall break his clods.

Ephraim indeed was a trained heifer that loved to thresh grain, and I myself laid a yoke upon his fair neck, I made Ephraim draw and Judah must plow, Jacob must turn the soil for himself.

12 Sow to yourselves according to righteousness, reap according to mercy, break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, till He come and cause righteousness to rain upon you.

Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruits of love. Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, so righteousness may come to you.

13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity, ye have eaten the fruit of lies; for thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.

But you have plowed wickedness, iniquity have you reaped. You have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own path, in the multitude of your warriors,

14 Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy hosts, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle; the mother was dashed in pieces with her children.

the alarm of war will sound in your cities and all your fortresses will be ruined, as Shalman laid in ruins Beth-arbel in the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces over their children.

15 So hath Beth-el done unto you because of your great wickedness; at daybreak is the king of Israel utterly cut off.

Thus will I do to you, Bethel, because of the enormity of your wickedness. When dawn breaks, so will the king of Israel be broken.