Hosea 10

1 Israel [was] a luxuriant vine; he set forth fruit for himself. With the increase of his fruit, he made an increase of the altars; according to the richness of his land, they made rich the sacred pillars.

2 Their heart has been divided, now they are guilty; He will break down their altars; He will demolish their sacred pillars.

3 For now they say, “There is no king for us, because we did not fear YHWH; and [as for] the king, what could he do for us?”

4 They have spoken words, swearing falsely [in] cutting a covenant, and judgment sprouts up like a poison in the furrows of the field.

5 For the calf of Beth-aven those dwelling in Samaria fear; indeed its people mourn over it, and its idolatrous priests who rejoiced over it, over its glory that has departed from it.

6 Also it will be carried along to Assyria as tribute to the great king; Ephraim will receive shame, and Israel will be ashamed of his idol.

7 Samaria will be cut off [with] her king, like a twig on the face of the water.

8 The high places of Aven will be destroyed, and the sin of Israel; the thorn and thistle will come up over their altars, and they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” And to the hills, “Fall on us!”

9 From the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, O Israel. There they have stood. Did it not overtake them in Gibeah—the battle against the sons of iniquity?

10 When I desire, I will discipline them; and peoples will be gathered against them, at My disciplining them for the two of their transgressions.

11 And Ephraim [is] a trained heifer, loving to thresh; and I passed over upon her fair neck; I will drive Ephraim; Judah will plow; Jacob will harrow for him.

12 Sow for yourselves unto righteousness, [and] reap to the mouth of loving devotion; break up for yourself the fallow ground, for [it is] time to seek YHWH, until He should come and shower righteousness upon you⁺.

13 You⁺ have plowed wickedness; you⁺ have reaped injustice; you⁺ have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you trusted in your own way, in the multitude of your mighty men,

14 therefore will arise an uproar among your people, and all your fortresses will be destroyed, like the destruction of Shalman [in] Beth-arbel on the day of battle, when a mother upon [her] children was dashed to pieces.

15 So may He do to you⁺, O Bethel, from the face of your⁺ great evil; at dawn he will be utterly cut off—the king of Israel!