-
10:1 Israel is a luxuriant vine that yields its fruit. The more his fruit increased the more altars he built;as his country improved he improved his pillars. 10:2 Their heart is false;now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars, and destroy their pillars. 10:3 For now they will say: 'We have no king, for we fear not the LORD, and a king, what could he do for us?' 10:4 They utter mere words;with empty oaths they make covenants;so judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field. 10:5 The inhabitants of Sama'ria tremble for the calf of Beth-a'ven. Its people shall mourn for it, and its idolatrous priests shall wail over it, over its glory which has departed from it. 10:6 Yea, the thing itself shall be carried to Assyria, as tribute to the great king. E'phraim shall be put to shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his idol. 10:7 Sama'ria's king shall perish, like a chip on the face of the waters. 10:8 The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed. Thorn and thistle shall grow up on their altars;and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us, and to the hills, Fall upon us. 10:9 From the days of Gib'e-ah, you have sinned, O Israel;there they have continued. Shall not war overtake them in Gib'e-ah? 10:10 I will come against the wayward people to chastise them;and nations shall be gathered against them when they are chastised for their double iniquity. 10:11 E'phraim was a trained heifer that loved to thresh, and I spared her fair neck;but I will put E'phraim to the yoke, Judah must plow, Jacob must harrow for himself. 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of steadfast love;break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain salvation upon you. 10:13 You have plowed iniquity, you have reaped injustice, you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your chariots and in the multitude of your warriors, 10:14 therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people, and all your fortresses shall be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth-ar'bel on the day of battle;mothers were dashed in pieces with their children. 10:15 Thus it shall be done to you, O house of Israel, because of your great wickedness. In the storm the king of Israel shall be utterly cut off.