Hosea 10:1–11:12

Israel was like a spreading vine.

They produced fruit for themselves.

As they grew more fruit,

they built more altars.

As their land became richer,

they made the sacred stones they worshiped more beautiful.

²Their hearts are dishonest.

So now they must pay for their sins.

The Lord will tear their altars down.

He’ll destroy their sacred stones.

³Then they’ll say, “We don’t have a king.

That’s because we didn’t have

any respect for the Lord.

But suppose we did have a king.

What could he do for us?”

⁴They make a lot of promises.

They make agreements among themselves.

They take oaths they don’t mean to keep.

So court cases spring up

like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.

⁵The people who live in Samaria are filled with fear.

They are afraid their god that looks like a calf

will be carried off from Bethel.

They will sob over it.

So will the priests who lead them to worship it.

The priests were full of joy

because their statue was so glorious.

But it will be captured

and taken far away from them.

⁶It will be carried off to Assyria.

The people of Ephraim will be forced

to give it to the great king.

They will be dishonored.

Israel will be ashamed

that all they have left to worship is a wooden god.

⁷Samaria’s king will be carried off.

He will be like a twig floating away in a river.

⁸The high places where Israel worshiped other gods

will be destroyed.

That’s where they sinned against the Lord.

Thorns and weeds will grow up there.

They will cover the altars.

Then the people will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”

They’ll say to the hills, “Fall on us!”

⁹The Lord says,

“Israel, you have done evil things

ever since your people sinned at Gibeah long ago.

And you are still doing what is evil.

War caught up

with those who sinned at Gibeah.

¹⁰So I will punish you when I want to.

Nations will gather together to fight against you.

They will put you in chains

because you have committed so many sins.

¹¹Ephraim, you were like a well-trained young cow.

It loved to thresh grain.

I spared its pretty neck

from pulling heavy loads.

But now I will make you do hard work.

Judah also must plow.

So all of the people of Jacob

must break up the ground.

¹²Your hearts are as hard as a field

that has not been plowed.

If you change your ways,

you will produce good crops.

So plant the seeds of doing what is right.

Then you will harvest the fruit of your faithful love.

It is time to turn to me.

When you do, I will come

and shower my blessings on you.

¹³But you have planted the seeds of doing what is wrong.

So you have harvested the fruit of your evil conduct.

You have had to eat the fruit of your lies.

You have trusted in your own strength.

You have depended on your many soldiers.

¹⁴But the roar of battle will come against you.

All of your forts will be completely destroyed.

It will happen just as Shalman

destroyed Beth Arbel in a battle.

Mothers and their children

were smashed on the ground.

¹⁵People of Bethel, that will happen to you.

You have committed far too many sins.

When the time for me to punish you comes,

your king will be completely destroyed.”

The Lord Loves Israel

11The Lord continues,

“When Israel was a young nation, I loved them.

I chose to bring my son out of Egypt.

²But the more I called out to Israel,

the further they went away from me.

They brought sacrifices to the statues of the gods

that were named after Baal.

And they burned incense to them.

³I taught Israel to walk.

I took them up in my arms.

But they did not realize

I was the one who took care of them.

⁴I led them with kindness and love.

I did not lead them with ropes.

I lifted the heavy loads from their shoulders.

I bent down and fed them.

⁵“But they refuse to turn away from their sins.

So they will return to Egypt.

And Assyria will rule over them.

⁶Swords will flash in their cities.

The heavy metal bars on their gates will be destroyed.

Their plans will come to an end.

⁷My people have made up their minds

to turn away from me.

Even if they call out to me,

I will certainly not honor them.

I am the Most High God.”

⁸The Lord continues,

“People of Ephraim, how can I give you up?

Israel, how can I hand you over to your enemies?

Can I destroy you as I did the town of Admah?

Can I treat you like Zeboiim?

My heart is stirred inside me.

It is filled with pity for you.

⁹My anger will not burn against you anymore.

I will not completely destroy you.

After all, I am God.

I am not a mere man.

I am the Holy One among you.

My burning anger will not come against you.

¹⁰I will roar like a lion against my enemies.

You will follow me.

When I roar, my children will come home trembling with fear.

You will return from the west.

¹¹You will come trembling like birds from Egypt.

You will return like doves from Assyria.

I will settle you again in your homes,”

announces the Lord.

Israel Has Sinned

¹²The people of Ephraim tell nothing but lies.

Israel has not been honest with me.

And Judah continues to wander away from God.

They have deserted the faithful Holy One.