Hosea 10

Berean Standard Bible

Retribution for Israel’s Sin

1IsraelH3478 was a luxuriantH1238 vineH1612, yieldingH7737 fruitH6529 for himself. The more his fruitH6529 increasedH7230, the more he increasedH7235 the altarsH4196. The betterH2896 his land producedH776, the better he madeH3190 the sacred pillarsH4676.2Their heartsH3820 are deviousH2505; nowH6258 they must bear their guiltH816. The LORDH1931 will break downH6202 their altarsH4196 and demolishH7703 their sacred pillarsH4676.

3SurelyH3588 nowH6258 they will sayH559,“We have noH369 kingH4428,forH3588 we do notH3808 revereH3372 the LORDH3068.WhatH4100 can a kingH4428 doH6213 for us?”4They speakH1696 mere wordsH1697;with falseH7723 oathsH422 they makeH3772 covenantsH1285.So judgmentH4941 springs upH6524like poisonous weedsH7219 inH5921 the furrowsH8525 of a fieldH7704.

5The peopleH7934 of SamariaH8111 will fearH1481for the calfH5697 ofH1007 Beth-avenH1007.1IndeedH3588, its peopleH5971 will mournH56 over itH5921with its idolatrous priestsH3649 —those who rejoicedH1523 inH5921 its gloryH3519—forH3588 it has been taken from them into exileH1540 .6YesH1571 , it will be carriedH2986 to AssyriaH804as tributeH4503 to the greatH3377 kingH4428.2EphraimH669 3 will be seizedH3947 with shameH1317;IsraelH3478 will be ashamedH954 of its wooden idolsH6098.47SamariaH8111 will be carried offH1820 with her kingH4428like a twigH7110 onH5921 the surfaceH6440 of the waterH4325.8The high placesH1116 of AvenH205 5 will be destroyedH8045—it is the sinH2403 of IsraelH3478;thornsH6975 and thistlesH1863 will overgrowH5927 H5921 their altarsH4196.Then they will sayH559 to the mountainsH2022, “Cover usH3680!”and to the hillsH1389, “FallH5307 on usH5921!”6

9Since the daysH3117 of GibeahH1390 you have sinnedH2398, O IsraelH3478,and thereH8033 you have remainedH5975.Did notH3808 the battleH4421 in GibeahH1390overtakeH5381 the sonsH1121 of iniquityH5932?710I will chasten themH3256 when I pleaseH185;nationsH5971 will be gatheredH622 against themH5921to put them in bondageH631for their doubleH8147 transgressionH5869.

11EphraimH669 is a well-trainedH3925 heiferH5697 that lovesH157 to threshH1758;but IH589 will place a yokeH5674 onH5921 her fairH2898 neckH6677.I will harnessH7392 EphraimH669, JudahH3063 will plowH2790,and JacobH3290 will break the hard groundH7702.12SowH2232 for yourselves righteousnessH6666and reap the fruitH7114 H6310 of loving devotionH2617;break upH5214 your unplowed groundH5215.For it is timeH6256 to seekH1875 the LORDH3068untilH5704 He comesH935 and sends righteousnessH6664upon you like rainH3384.

13You have plowedH2790 wickednessH7562 and reapedH7114 injusticeH5766;you have eatenH398 the fruitH6529 of liesH3585.BecauseH3588 you have trustedH982 in your own wayH1870and in the multitudeH7230 of your mighty menH1368,14the roar of battleH7588 will riseH6965 against your peopleH5971,so that allH3605 your fortressesH4013 will be demolishedH7703as ShalmanH8020 devastatedH7701 Beth-arbelH1009in the dayH3117 of battleH4421,when mothersH517 were dashed to piecesH7376along withH5921 their childrenH1121.15ThusH3602 it will be doneH6213 to you, O BethelH1008,because ofH6440 your greatH7451 wickednessH7451.When the day dawnsH7837,the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 will be utterly cut offH1820.

1. Hosea 10:5 Beth-aven means house of wickedness. This is a derogatory term for Bethel, which means house of God; see 1 Kings 12:28–29. ↩
2. Hosea 10:6 Or to King Jareb ↩
3. Hosea 10:6 That is, the northern kingdom of Israel; also in verse 11 ↩
4. Hosea 10:6 Or of its own counsel ↩
5. Hosea 10:8 Or of wickedness; Aven is a reference to Beth-aven (a derogatory term for Bethel); see verse 5. ↩
6. Hosea 10:8 Cited in Luke 23:30; see also Revelation 6:16. ↩
7. Hosea 10:9 Or Did not the battle overtake the sons of iniquity in Gibeah? ↩