Hosea 10

1 Israel a vine full of branches, the fruit is agreeable to it: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath multiplied altars, according to the plenty of his land he hath abounded with idols.

Israel is a luxuriant vine, That bringeth forth fruit; But according to the abundance of his fruit hath he abounded in altars; According to the goodness of his land hath he made goodly images.

2 Their heart is divided: now they shall perish: he shall break down their idols, he shall destroy their altars.

Their heart is divided; now shall they suffer for it; He will break down their altars, And destroy their images.

3 For now they shall say: We have no king: because we fear not the Lord: and what shall a king do to us?

For soon shall they say, We have no king, Because we fear not Jehovah; What can a king do for us?

4 You speak words of an unprofitable vision, and you shall make a covenant: and judgment shall spring up as bitterness in the furrows of the field.

They utter empty words, Swearing falsely, making covenants, And now judgment springeth up, as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

5 The inhabitants of Samaria have worshipped the king of Bethaven: for the people thereof have mourned over it, and the wardens of its temple that rejoiced over it in its glory because it is departed from it.

For the calf of Bethaven shall the inhabitants of Samaria be in fear; Yea, its people shall grieve for it, And its priests shall tremble for it, Because its glory has departed from it.

6 For itself also is carried into Assyria, a present to the avenging king: shame shall fall upon Ephraim, and Israel shall be confounded in his own will.

It shall be carried to Assyria, As a present to the hostile king. Ephraim shall be covered with confusion, And Israel shall be ashamed of his doings,

7 Samaria hath made her king to pass as froth upon the face of the water.

Samaria shall be brought to destruction; Her king shall be as a twig upon the waters.

8 And the high places of the idol, the sin of Israel shall be destroyed: the bur and the thistle shall grow up over their altars: and they shall say to the mountains: Cover us; and to the hills: Fall upon us.

The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed; 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!

9 From the days of Gabaa, Israel hath sinned, there they stood: the battle in Gabaa against the children of iniquity shall not overtake them.

More than in the days of Gibeah hast thou sinned, O Israel! There they stood; The battle in Gibeah against the sons of iniquity did not overtake them.

10 According to my desire I will chastise them: and the nations shall be gathered together against them, when they shall be chastised for their two iniquities.

Now will I chastise them according to my pleasure, And the nations shall be gathered together against them, When I shall bind them for their two iniquities.

11 Ephraim is a heifer taught to love to tread out corn, but I passed over upon the beauty of her neck: I will ride upon Ephraim, Juda shall plough, Jacob shall break the furrows for himself.

Ephraim is a trained heifer, that loveth to tread out the corn; But I will lay the yoke upon her fair neck; I will cause Ephraim to draw, Judah shall plough, Jacob shall harrow.

12 Sow for yourselves in justice, and reap in the mouth of mercy, break up your fallow ground: but the time to seek the Lord is, when he shall come that shall teach you justice.

Sow for yourselves to righteousness, and ye shall reap according to your piety; Break up your fallow ground; For it is a time to seek Jehovah, Till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

13 You have ploughed wickedness, you have reaped iniquity, you have eaten the fruit of lying: because thou hast trusted in thy ways, in the multitude of thy strong ones.

Ye plough wickedness, ye shall reap injustice; Ye shall eat the fruit of falsehood. Because thou trustest in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men,

14 A tumult shall arise among thy people: and all thy fortresses shall be destroyed as Salmana was destroyed, by the house of him that judged Baal in the day of battle, the mother being dashed in pieces upon her children.

There shall arise a tumult among thy people, And all thy fortresses shall be destroyed, As Shalman destroyed Betharbel in the day of battle, When the mother was dashed in pieces with her children.

15 So hath Bethel done to you, because of the evil of your iniquities.

Such things shall Bethel bring upon you Because of your great wickedness. In the morning shall the king of Israel be destroyed.