1. Israel is a luxuriant vine; he brings out fruit to himself. According to the multitude of his fruit, he has increased the altars. They have made beautiful images according to the goodness of his land.
2. Their heart is divided; now they shall be guilty. He shall break down their altars, and He shall spoil their images.
3. For now they shall say, We have no king because we did not fear Jehovah; what then should a king do to us?
4. They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant. So judgment springs up like hemlock in the furrows of the field.
5. Because of the calves of Beth-aven, the people of Samaria shall dread. For its people shall mourn over it, and its priest rejoiced on it for its glory, because it has departed from it.
6. It shall also be carried to Assyria for a present to King Jareb. Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.
7. As for Samaria, her king is cut off as a bough on the water.
8. Also the high places 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. O Israel, you have sinned from the days of Gibeah. There they stood; the battle against the sons of iniquity did not overtake them in Gibeah.
10. When I desire, I shall bind them; and the peoples shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves to their two perversities.
11. And Ephraim is like a trained heifer, trying to tread out. But I passed over on the goodness of her neck. I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.
12. Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground. For it is time to seek Jehovah, until He comes and rains righteousness on you.
13. You have plowed wickedness; you have reaped iniquity; you have eaten the fruit of lies, because you trusted in your way, in the multitude of your mighty men.
14. And an uproar shall arise among your peoples, and all your fortresses shall be spoiled, as the ruin of Beth-arbel by Shalman in the day of battle. The mother was dashed in pieces on her sons.
15. So He does to you, Bethel, because of your great evil. In a morning the king of Israel shall be utterly cut off.