Hosea 10

Retribution for Israel’s Sin

1Israel is a 1luxuriant 2vine; He produces fruit for himself. The more his fruit, The more altars he 3made; The 4richer his land, The better 5he made the sacred 6pillars.2Their heart is 78faithless; Now they must bear their 9guilt. 10The Lord will 11break down their altars And destroy their sacred pillars.

3Surely now they will say, “We have 12no king, For we do not revere the Lord. As for the king, what can he do for us?”4They speak mere words, 13With 14worthless oaths they make covenants; And 15judgment sprouts like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.5The inhabitants of Samaria will fear For the 1617calf of 18Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn for it, And its 19idolatrous priests 20will cry out over it, Over its 21glory, since it has departed from it.6The thing itself will be carried to 22Assyria As tribute to 2324King Jareb; Ephraim will 25be 26seized with shame And Israel will be ashamed of its 27own counsel.7Samaria will be 28cut off with her king Like a stick on the surface of the water.8Also the 29high places of Aven, the 30sin of Israel, will be destroyed; 31Thorn and thistle will grow on their altars; Then they will 32say to the mountains, “Cover us!” And to the hills, “Fall on us!”9From the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel; There they stand! Will not the battle against the sons of iniquity overtake them in Gibeah?10When it is My 33desire, I will 3435chastise them; And 36the peoples will be gathered against them When they are bound for their double guilt.

11Ephraim is a trained 37heifer that loves to thresh, But I will 38come over her fair neck with a yoke; I will harness Ephraim, Judah will plow, Jacob will harrow for himself.1239Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with 40kindness; 41Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to 42seek the Lord Until He 43comes to 4445rain righteousness on you.13You have 46plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice, You have eaten the fruit of 47lies. Because you have trusted in your way, in your 48numerous warriors,14Therefore a tumult will arise among your people, And all your 49fortresses will be destroyed, As Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle, When 50mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.15Thus it will be done to you at Bethel because of your great wickedness. At dawn the king of Israel will be completely cut off.