1 I srael is a spreading vine full of fruit. The more fruit he had, the more altars he made. As his land became richer, he made his pillars for worship better.

Israel is a luxuriant vine that puts forth its fruit. According to the abundance of his fruit he has multiplied his altars; according to the goodness and prosperity of their land they have made goodly pillars or obelisks.

2 T heir heart is not faithful, and now they must suffer for their sins. The Lord will break down their altars and destroy their pillars for worship.

Their heart is divided and deceitful; now shall they be found guilty and suffer punishment. The Lord will smite and break down their altars; He will destroy their pillars.

3 T hen they will say, “We have no king because we do not fear the Lord. And what could a king do for us?”

Surely now they shall say, We have no king because we fear not the Lord; and as for the king, what can he do for us?

4 T hey speak empty words and make false promises, so punishment grows like weeds of poison in a plowed field.

They have spoken mere words of the lips, swearing falsely in making covenants; therefore judgment springs up like hemlock in the furrows of the field.

5 T he people of Samaria will be afraid for the calf of Beth-aven. Its people will have sorrow for it. Its religious leaders who worship false gods will cry over it in a loud voice. They will cry because its greatness has gone.

The inhabitants of Samaria shall be in terror for the calf of Beth-aven, for its people shall mourn over it and its priests who rejoiced over it for the glory of, because it is departed from it.

6 T he thing itself will be carried to Assyria and given to King Jareb. Ephraim will be put to shame, and Israel will be ashamed of its false god.

shall also be carried into Assyria as a tribute-gift to the fighting King Jareb; Ephraim shall be put to shame and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

7 S amaria and its king will be lost like a piece of wood on the water.

As for Samaria, her king and her whole monarchy are cut off like twigs or foam upon the water.

8 T he high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, will be destroyed. Thorns and thistles will grow on their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

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 “ You have sinned since the days of Gibeah, O Israel, and there you have stayed. Will not the sinners be destroyed in battle in Gibeah?

O Israel, you have sinned from the days of Gibeah! There stood that the battle against the sons of unrighteousness might not overtake and turn against them at Gibeah.

10 I will punish them when I please. And the nations will be gathered against them when they are punished for their many sins.

When I please I will chastise them, and hostile peoples shall be gathered against them when I shall bind and yoke them for their two transgressions.

11 “ Ephraim is a well-taught young cow that loves to crush the grain. But I will put a load on her beautiful neck. I will drive Ephraim. Judah must plow. And Jacob must break up the ground.

Ephraim indeed is a heifer broken in and loving to tread out the grain, but I have spared the beauty of her fair neck. I will now set a rider upon Ephraim and make him to draw; Judah shall plow and Jacob shall break his clods.

12 P lant what is right and good for yourselves. Gather the fruit of lasting love. Break up your ground that has not been plowed. For it is time to look for the Lord, until He comes and pours His saving power on you.

Sow for yourselves according to righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God); reap according to mercy and loving-kindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, to inquire for and of Him, and to require His favor, till He comes and teaches you righteousness and rains His righteous gift of salvation upon you.

13 Y ou have plowed wrong-doing and have gathered sin. You have eaten the fruit of lies. You have trusted in your own strength and in your many soldiers.

You have plowed and plotted wickedness, you have reaped the injustice, you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your way and your chariots, in the multitude of your mighty men,

14 T he noise of battle will rise up among your people. All your strong cities will be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle. Mothers were crushed in pieces with their children.

Therefore shall a tumult arise against your people and all your fortresses shall be wasted and destroyed, as Shalmaneser wasted and destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle; the mother was dashed in pieces with her children.

15 T his will be done to you at Bethel because of your many sins. When the day begins, the king of Israel will be destroyed.

So shall it be done to you at Bethel because of your great wickedness; at daybreak shall the king of Israel be utterly cut off.