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The Lord says that Israel is guilty

10 Israel was like a healthy vine that had lots of grapes.
But as the Israelites became more and more rich,
they built more and more altars.
As their land gave more crops,
they made the pillars that they worshipped more beautiful.
2 They do not truly trust God.
They are guilty and they must receive their punishment.
The Lord will break their altars.
He will destroy their special pillars.
3 Soon these people will say, ‘We did not respect the Lord 's authority.
Because of that we have no king.
But even if we had a king now, he could not do anything to help us.’
4 They promise to do many things,
but they never do what they promise.
They make useless agreements.
So people accuse each other in the courts.
They are like weeds that grow in a farmer's field.
5 The people who live in Samaria will be afraid.
They will worry about their image of a calf at Beth Aven. [ a ]
They will weep because it will go away from them.
The priests who serve the idol will cry too.
They know that an enemy will take away their great and beautiful idol.
6 Assyria's army will carry the idol away. [ b ]
It will be a gift to give honour to Assyria's great king.
Ephraim's people will feel ashamed.
They will be sorry that they trusted in their wooden idol.
7 The people of Samaria and their king will come to an end. [ c ]
They will be like a small stick that water carries away.
8 The wicked altars on the hills will break into pieces. [ d ]
These are places where Israel's people have done bad things.
Thorn bushes and weeds will grow all over their altars.
Then the people will say to the mountains, ‘Hide us!’
They will say to the hills, ‘Fall on us!’

The Lord promises to punish Israel

9 The Lord says,

‘People of Israel, you have continued to do bad things,
since the time that you were at Gibeah. [ e ]
When the people did evil things at Gibeah,
war destroyed them as a result.
10 When I decide that the time is right,
I will punish the Israelites.
Because of their many sins,
I will bring other nations to attack them.
Their enemies will tie them up with chains.
11 Ephraim was like a cow that I had taught to stamp on grain. [ f ]
She loved to work for me.
But now I will make her do hard work!
I will put a heavy yoke on her beautiful neck.
Judah will also have to plough the ground.
Jacob's descendants must work to dig up the hard ground. [ g ]
12 Be like a farmer who plants good seed.
Plant things that are good and right.
Then your harvest will be faithful love.
Plough the hard ground and prepare it for the Lord to bless you.
It is time for you to turn back to the Lord .
Then he will bless you with good things,
like rain that falls on the ground!
13 But instead, you have planted evil things.
So your harvest is terrible trouble.
The food that you eat comes from your lies.
You trusted in your own strength to save you.
You thought that your strong army would keep you safe.

14 So you will soon hear the noise of war.
Enemies will destroy all your strong buildings.
It will be like the time that King Shalman's army destroyed Beth Arbel. [ h ]
In that battle, cruel soldiers killed mothers together with their children.
15 The same thing will happen to you, people of Bethel,
because of the wicked things that you have done. [ i ]
When the day of your punishment arrives,
the king of Israel will surely die.’

Footnotes

  1. 10:5 People worshipped a gold calf at Bethel. Hosea calls Bethel ‘Beth Aven’. Bethel means ‘House of God’ but Beth Aven means ‘House of wicked things’.
  2. 10:6 Assyria's army will take the idol away when they win the war.
  3. 10:7 King Hoshea of Israel was put in a prison in 723 BC. See 2 Kings 17:1-6 .
  4. 10:8 Assyria destroyed Samaria in 722 BC. Nobody built it again.
  5. 10:9 Hosea writes again about what he said in 9:9. Israel's people sinned very badly at the time of Gibeah. They were not able to stop doing this sin.
  6. 10:11 Farmers used cows to stamp on grain, so that the seeds of grain became separate from the chaff.
  7. 10:11 Jacob's descendants were the people of Israel. God changed Jacob's name to ‘Israel’.
  8. 10:14 We do not know what happened at Beth-Arbel.
  9. 10:15 Bethel means ‘House of God’ so here it may mean all the people of Israel.

Israel’s Riches Led to Its Worship of Idols

10 Israel is like a vine
that grows plenty of fruit.
But as Israel got more and more things,
he built more and more altars to honor false gods.
His land became better and better,
so he put up better and better stones to honor false gods.
2 The people of Israel tried to trick God,
but now they must accept their guilt.
He will break down their altars
and destroy their memorial stones.

The Evil Decisions of the Israelites

3 Now the Israelites say, “We have no king. We don’t honor the Lord . And his king cannot do anything to us.”

4 They make promises, but they are only telling lies. They don’t keep their promises. They make agreements with other countries. God does not like those agreements . The judges are like poisonous weeds growing in a plowed field.

5 The people from Samaria worship the calves at Beth Aven. [ a ] They will cry. The priests will cry, because their beautiful idol is gone. It was carried away. 6 It was carried away as a gift to the great king of Assyria. He will keep Ephraim’s shameful idol. Israel will be ashamed of its idol. [ b ] 7 Samaria’s false god [ c ] will be destroyed. It will be like a piece of wood floating away on the water’s surface.

8 Israel sinned and built many high places. The high places of Aven [ d ] will be destroyed. Thorns and weeds will grow on their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

Israel Will Pay for Sin

9 “Israel, you have sinned since the time of Gibeah. (And the people have continued to sin there.) Those evil people at Gibeah will be trapped by war. 10 I will come to punish them. Armies will come together against them and punish the Israelites for both of their sins. [ e ]

11 “Ephraim is like a trained young cow that loves to walk on grain on the threshing floor. I will put a good yoke on her neck. I will put the ropes on Ephraim. Then Judah will begin plowing. Jacob will break the ground himself.”

12 If you plant goodness, you will harvest faithful love. Plow your ground, and you will harvest with the Lord . He will come, and he will make goodness fall on you like rain.

13 But you planted evil, and you harvested trouble. You ate the fruit of your lies, because you had trusted in your power and your soldiers. 14 So your armies will hear the noise of battle, and all your fortresses will be destroyed. It will be like the time Shalman [ f ] destroyed Beth Arbel. At that time of war, mothers were killed with their children. 15 And this will happen to you at Bethel, because you did so many evil things. When that day begins, the king of Israel will be fully destroyed.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 10:5 Beth Aven A name meaning “House of Evil.” It is a wordplay on the name “Bethel,” a name meaning “House of God.” There was a temple in this town.
  2. Hosea 10:6 idol Or “advice.”
  3. Hosea 10:7 false god Or “king.”
  4. Hosea 10:8 high places of Aven Aven means “evil” or “wickedness.” This probably means the temple and other places of worship at Bethel.
  5. Hosea 10:10 This probably refers to worship at Gibeah and Beth Aven.
  6. Hosea 10:14 Shalman This is probably Shalmaneser, king of Assyria.

10 Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.

2 Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.

3 For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the Lord ; what then should a king do to us?

4 They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.

6 It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

7 As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water.

8 The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.

9 O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.

10 It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.

11 And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.

12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord , till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.

14 Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Betharbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.

15 So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.

Retribution for Israel’s Sin

10 Israel is a luxuriant ( A ) vine;
He produces fruit for himself.
The more his fruit,
The more altars he ( B ) made;
The [ a ] richer his land,
The better [ b ] he made the ( C ) memorial stones.
2 Their heart is [ c ] ( D ) deceitful;
Now they must suffer for their ( E ) guilt.
[ d ] The Lord will ( F ) break down their altars
And destroy their memorial stones.

3 Certainly now they will say, “We have ( G ) no king,
For we do not revere the Lord .
As for the king, what can he do for us?”
4 They speak mere words,
[ e ] With ( H ) worthless oaths they make covenants;
And ( I ) judgment sprouts like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.
5 The inhabitants of Samaria will fear
For the [ f ] ( J ) calf of ( K ) Beth-aven.
Indeed, its people will mourn for it,
And its ( L ) idolatrous priests [ g ] will cry out over it,
Over its ( M ) glory, since it has left it.
6 The thing itself will be brought to ( N ) Assyria
As a gift of tribute to [ h ] ( O ) King Jareb;
Ephraim will [ i ] be ( P ) seized with shame,
And Israel will be ashamed of its ( Q ) own plan.
7 Samaria will be ( R ) destroyed with her king,
Like a twig on the surface of the water.
8 Also the ( S ) high places of Aven, the ( T ) sin of Israel, will be destroyed;
( U ) Thorns and thistles will grow on their altars;
Then they will ( V ) say to the mountains,
“Cover us!” And to the hills, “Fall on us!”
9 Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, Israel;
There they stand!
Will the battle against the sons of injustice not overtake them in Gibeah?
10 When it is My ( W ) desire, I will [ j ] ( X ) discipline them;
And ( Y ) the peoples will be gathered against them
When they are bound for their double guilt.

11 Ephraim is a trained ( Z ) heifer that loves to thresh,
[ k ] And I ( AA ) passed over her lovely neck;
I will harness Ephraim,
Judah will plow, Jacob will [ l ] harrow for himself.
12 ( AB ) Sow for yourselves, with a view to righteousness;
Harvest in accordance with [ m ] kindness.
( AC ) Break up your uncultivated ground,
For it is time to ( AD ) seek the Lord
Until He ( AE ) comes and ( AF ) rains righteousness on you.
13 You have ( AG ) plowed wickedness, you have harvested injustice,
You have eaten the fruit of ( AH ) lies.
Because you have trusted in your way, in your ( AI ) many warriors,
14 An uproar will arise among your people,
And all your ( AJ ) fortresses will be destroyed,
As Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle,
When ( AK ) mothers were [ n ] slaughtered with their children.
15 So it will be done to you at Bethel because of your great wickedness.
At dawn the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 10:1 Lit better
  2. Hosea 10:1 Lit they
  3. Hosea 10:2 Lit slippery ; or divided
  4. Hosea 10:2 Lit He
  5. Hosea 10:4 Or Swearing falsely in making a covenant
  6. Hosea 10:5 As in some ancient versions; MT calves
  7. Hosea 10:5 Or who used to rejoice over
  8. Hosea 10:6 Another reading is the great king ; or the contentious king
  9. Hosea 10:6 Lit receive shame
  10. Hosea 10:10 Or instruct
  11. Hosea 10:11 Or But I put a yoke on her lovely
  12. Hosea 10:11 I.e., pull a harrow, a farming device
  13. Hosea 10:12 Or loyalty
  14. Hosea 10:14 Lit shattered

10 Israel was a spreading vine; ( A )
he brought forth fruit for himself.
As his fruit increased,
he built more altars; ( B )
as his land prospered, ( C )
he adorned his sacred stones. ( D )
2 Their heart is deceitful, ( E )
and now they must bear their guilt. ( F )
The Lord will demolish their altars ( G )
and destroy their sacred stones. ( H )

3 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?”
4 They make many promises,
take false oaths ( I )
and make agreements; ( J )
therefore lawsuits spring up
like poisonous weeds ( K ) in a plowed field.
5 The people who live in Samaria fear
for the calf-idol ( L ) of Beth Aven. [ a ] ( M )
Its people will mourn over it,
and so will its idolatrous priests, ( N )
those who had rejoiced over its splendor,
because it is taken from them into exile. ( O )
6 It will be carried to Assyria ( P )
as tribute ( Q ) for the great king. ( R )
Ephraim will be disgraced; ( S )
Israel will be ashamed ( T ) of its foreign alliances.
7 Samaria’s king will be destroyed, ( U )
swept away like a twig on the surface of the waters.
8 The high places ( V ) of wickedness [ b ] ( W ) will be destroyed—
it is the sin of Israel.
Thorns ( X ) and thistles will grow up
and cover their altars. ( Y )
Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” ( Z )
and to the hills, “Fall on us!” ( AA )

9 “Since the days of Gibeah, ( AB ) you have sinned, ( AC ) Israel,
and there you have remained. [ c ]
Will not war again overtake
the evildoers in Gibeah?
10 When I please, I will punish ( AD ) them;
nations will be gathered against them
to put them in bonds for their double sin.
11 Ephraim is a trained heifer
that loves to thresh;
so I will put a yoke ( AE )
on her fair neck.
I will drive Ephraim,
Judah must plow,
and Jacob must break up the ground.
12 Sow ( AF ) righteousness ( AG ) for yourselves,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground; ( AH )
for it is time to seek ( AI ) the Lord ,
until he comes
and showers his righteousness ( AJ ) on you.
13 But you have planted wickedness,
you have reaped evil, ( AK )
you have eaten the fruit of deception. ( AL )
Because you have depended on your own strength
and on your many warriors, ( AM )
14 the roar of battle will rise against your people,
so that all your fortresses will be devastated ( AN ) —
as Shalman ( AO ) devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle,
when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children. ( AP )
15 So will it happen to you, Bethel,
because your wickedness is great.
When that day dawns,
the king of Israel will be completely destroyed. ( AQ )

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 10:5 Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God ).
  2. Hosea 10:8 Hebrew aven, a reference to Beth Aven (a derogatory name for Bethel); see verse 5.
  3. Hosea 10:9 Or there a stand was taken
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