Hosea10

Hosea 10 opens by likening Israel to an empty vine, whose prosperity led to increased idolatry and a divided heart. The LORD declares that He will break down their altars and spoil their images, leading to the loss of their king and national shame. The chapter calls Israel to sow righteousness and break up their fallow ground, warning that their continued wickedness will result in utter destruction and the cutting off of their king.

Israel's Prosperity and Idolatry

1
`An empty vine is Israel, Fruit he maketh like to himself, According to the abundance of his fruit, He hath multiplied for the altars, According to the goodness of his land, They have made goodly standing-pillars.
2
Their heart hath been divided, now they are guilty, He doth break down their altars, He doth destroy their standing-pillars.
3
For now they say: We have no king, Because we have not feared Jehovah, And the king--what doth he for us?
4
They have spoken words, To swear falsehood in making a covenant, And flourished as a poisonous herb hath judgment, on the furrows of a field.
5
For the calves of Beth-Aven fear do inhabitants of Samaria, Surely mourned on account of it hath its people, And its priests on account of it leap about, Because of its honour, for it hath removed from it,
6
Also it to Asshur is carried, a present to a warlike king, Shame doth Ephraim receive, And ashamed is Israel of its own counsel.
7
Cut off is Samaria! Its king is as a chip on the face of the waters.
8
And destroyed have been high places of Aven, the sin of Israel. Thorn and bramble go up on their altars, And they have said to hills, Cover us, And to heights, Fall upon us.

The Deep Roots of Israel's Sin

9
From the days of Gibeah thou hast sinned, O Israel, There they have stood, Not overtake them in Gibeah doth battle, Because of sons of perverseness.
10
When I desire, then I do bind them, And gathered against them have peoples, When they bind themselves to their two iniquities.
11
And Ephraim is a trained heifer--loving to thresh, And I--I have passed over on the goodness of its neck, I cause one to ride Ephraim, Plough doth Judah, harrow for him doth Jacob.

A Call to Repentance and Righteousness

12
Sow for yourselves in righteousness, Reap according to loving-kindness, Till for yourselves tillage of knowledge, To seek Jehovah, Till he come and shew righteousness to you.
13
Ye have ploughed wickedness, Perversity ye have reaped, Ye have eaten the fruit of lying, For thou hast trusted in thy way, In the abundance of thy might.
14
And rise doth a tumult among thy people, And all thy fortresses are spoiled, As the spoiling of Shalman of Beth-Arbel, In a day of battle, Mother against sons dashed in pieces.
15
Thus hath Beth-El done to you, Because of the evil of your wickedness, In the dawn cut off utterly is a king of Israel!
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