Hosea

10* Israel is a luxuriant grapevine that loads itself with fruit. The more he had of fruit, the more he made of altars; the better off his country, the finer he made obelisks. 2 Their hearts are slippery. Now they must smart for it; he will break the necks of their altars, make havoc of their obelisks. 3 For now they will be saying “We have no king, because we do not fear Jehovah and what will the king do to us?” 4** —talking and talking, taking empty oaths, making covenants, and justice shooting up like poppies in furrows in the field. 5* The denizens of Samaria shall quail for the calf of Beth-Aven because his people and his komers are mourning for him, they howl for him because of his glory, because it is deported from him. 6* It too shall be taken to Assyria for a present to King Jareb; Ephraim shall take a humiliation, Israel be put to shame for its policy. 7* Samaria is cut off; her king is like a chip on the face of water. 8 And the heights of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be extirpated; thorns and thistles shall grow up on their altars; and they shall 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 stood, war was not to come home to them at Gibeah. 10* I have come against men of foul play to chastise them, and peoples shall be brought together against them, for their going off to their two crimes. 11 And Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh and I myself have passed over her fine neck; I will harness Ephraim; Judah shall plow, Jacob shall harrow for him. 12* Sow with honesty, reap in the way of friendliness, break new ground, and it is time to resort to Jehovah till he comes and gives you autumn rain of righteousness. 13* You have been plowing lawlessness, reaping foul play, eating the fruit of deceitfulness, because you have had confidence in your course, in the numerousness of your champions; 14** and yells shall rise in your cities, and all your fortress towns shall be sacked as Shalman sacked Beth-Arbel on a battle-day, mothers’ brains dashed out after their children’s: 15* I will do the like to you, house of Israel, because of your wicked wickedness; the king of Israel is cut off in the gray dawn.