Hosea 10 YLT
Summary: Israel is compared to a luxuriant vine that, the more it prospered, the more altars and idolatrous pillars it built, so that its heart is now "false" and must bear its guilt. The calf-idol of Beth-aven (Bethel) and its priests are singled out for coming humiliation as the idol itself is carried off in tribute to a foreign king, and Israel's own king will be "cut off like a chip on the face of the waters" (v. 7). Hosea calls the people to "break up your fallow ground" and "sow for yourselves righteousness" (v. 12), warning that trust in military strength invites a devastation like Shalman's destruction of Beth-arbel, when mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.
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.
2Their heart hath been divided, now they are guilty, He doth break down their altars, He doth destroy their standing-pillars.
3For now they say: We have no king, Because we have not feared Jehovah, And the king--what doth he for us?
4They have spoken words, To swear falsehood in making a covenant, And flourished as a poisonous herb hath judgment, on the furrows of a field.
5For 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,
6Also it to Asshur is carried, a present to a warlike king, Shame doth Ephraim receive, And ashamed is Israel of its own counsel.
7Cut off is Samaria! Its king is as a chip on the face of the waters.
8And 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.
9From 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.
10When I desire, then I do bind them, And gathered against them have peoples, When they bind themselves to their two iniquities.
11And 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.
12Sow 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.
13Ye 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.
14And 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.
15Thus 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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