Hosea 10

Israel was a spreading vine;^c

he brought forth fruit for himself.

As his fruit increased,

he built more altars;^d

as his land prospered,^e

he adorned his sacred stones.^f

Their heart is deceitful,^g

and now they must bear their guilt.^h

The Lord will demolish their altarsⁱ

and destroy their sacred stones.^j

Then they will say, “We have no king

because we did not revere the Lord.

But even if we had a king,

what could he do for us?”

They make many promises,

take false oaths^k

and make agreements;^l

therefore lawsuits spring up

like poisonous weeds^m in a plowed field.

The people who live in Samaria fear

for the calf-idolⁿ of Beth Aven.^o

Its people will mourn over it,

and so will its idolatrous priests,^p

those who had rejoiced over its splendor,

because it is taken from them into exile.^q

It will be carried to Assyria^r

as tribute^s for the great king.^t

Ephraim will be disgraced;^u

Israel will be ashamed^v of its foreign alliances.

Samaria’s king will be destroyed,^w

swept away like a twig on the surface of the waters.

The high places^x of wickedness^y will be destroyed—

it is the sin of Israel.

Thorns^z and thistles will grow up

and cover their altars.^a

Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”^b

and to the hills, “Fall on us!”^c

“Since the days of Gibeah,^d you have sinned,^e Israel,

and there you have remained.

Will not war again overtake

the evildoers in Gibeah?

When I please, I will punish^f them;

nations will be gathered against them

to put them in bonds for their double sin.

Ephraim is a trained heifer

that loves to thresh;

so I will put a yoke^g

on her fair neck.

I will drive Ephraim,

Judah must plow,

and Jacob must break up the ground.

Sow^h for yourselves righteousness,ⁱ

reap the fruit of unfailing love,

and break up your unplowed ground;^j

for it is time to seek^k the Lord,

until he comes

and showers his righteousness^l on you.

But you have planted wickedness,

you have reaped evil,^m

you have eaten the fruit of deception.ⁿ

Because you have depended on your own strength

and on your many warriors,^o

the roar of battle will rise against your people,

so that all your fortresses will be devastated^p—

as Shalman^q devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle,

when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.^r

So will it happen to you, Bethel,

because your wickedness is great.

When that day dawns,

the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.^s