Hosea 10

The vine and its altars

1Israel is a luxuriant vine
bearing fruit for itself.
As its fruit increased, its altars increased;
as its land prospered, its sacred pillars grew more splendid. 2Their hearts are false;
now they must bear their guilt.
He will break down their altars
and devastate their sacred pillars. 3Now they will say, ‘We have no king,
because we did not fear the LORD.
And what could a king do for us?’ 4They speak empty words, swear false oaths,
and make covenants.
So judgment springs up like poison weed
in the furrows of a field. 5Samaria’s inhabitants tremble for the calves of Beth-aven.
Its people mourn over it,
and its priests who rejoiced over it mourn for its glory,
for that glory has gone into exile. 6It too will be carried to Assyria
as tribute to the contending king.
Ephraim will receive shame;
Israel will be ashamed of its counsel. 7Samaria’s king will be swept away
like a twig on the surface of water. 8The high places of Aven, Israel’s sin, will be destroyed.
Thorns and thistles will grow over their altars.
They will say to the mountains, ‘Cover us!’
and to the hills, ‘Fall on us!’

Plowing and reaping

9“Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, Israel.
There they have remained.
Will not war overtake them in Gibeah,
war against the children of wrongdoing? 10When I wish, I will discipline them.
Peoples will gather against them
when they are bound for their two offenses. 11Ephraim was a trained heifer that loved to thresh,
but I passed over her beautiful neck.
I will harness Ephraim; Judah will plow;
Jacob will harrow for himself. 12Sow righteousness for yourselves;
reap a harvest of faithful love.
Break up your unplowed ground.
It is time to seek the LORD
until he comes and rains righteousness on you. 13You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice;
you have eaten the fruit of lies.
You trusted in your own way,
in your many warriors. 14The uproar of battle will rise among your people,
and all your fortresses will be devastated,
as Shalman devastated Beth-arbel on the day of battle,
when mothers were dashed to pieces with their children. 15This is what Bethel has done to you
because of your immense wickedness.
At dawn Israel’s king will be utterly cut off.”