New International Version

New Living Translation

Israel was a spreading vine;
he brought forth fruit for himself.
As his fruit increased,
he built more altars;
as his land prospered,
he adorned his sacred stones.

1

The LORD’s Judgment against Israel

How prosperous Israel is —
a luxuriant vine loaded with fruit.
But the richer the people get,
the more pagan altars they build.
The more bountiful their harvests,
the more beautiful their sacred pillars.

2

Their heart is deceitful,
and now they must bear their guilt.
The Lord will demolish their altars
and destroy their sacred stones.

2

The hearts of the people are fickle;
they are guilty and must be punished.
The LORD will break down their altars
and smash their sacred pillars.

3

Then they will say, “We have no king
because we did not revere the Lord.
But even if we had a king,
what could he do for us?”

3

Then they will say, “We have no king
because we didn’t fear the LORD.
But even if we had a king,
what could he do for us anyway?”

4

They make many promises,
take false oaths
and make agreements;
therefore lawsuits spring up
like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.

4

They spout empty words
and make covenants they don’t intend to keep.
So injustice springs up among them
like poisonous weeds in a farmer’s field.

5

The people who live in Samaria fear
for the calf-idol of Beth Aven.a
Its people will mourn over it,
and so will its idolatrous priests,
those who had rejoiced over its splendor,
because it is taken from them into exile.

5

The people of Samaria tremble in fear
for their calf idol at Beth-aven,a
and they mourn for it.
Though its priests rejoice over it,
its glory will be stripped away.b

6

It will be carried to Assyria
as tribute for the great king.
Ephraim will be disgraced;
Israel will be ashamed of its foreign alliances.

6

This idol will be carted away to Assyria,
a gift to the great king there.
Ephraim will be ridiculed and Israel will be shamed,
because its people have trusted in this idol.

7

Samaria’s king will be destroyed,
swept away like a twig on the surface of the waters.

7

Samaria and its king will be cut off;
they will float away like driftwood on an ocean wave.

8

The high places of wickednessb will be destroyed —
it is the sin of Israel.
Thorns and thistles will grow up
and cover their altars.
Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

8

And the pagan shrines of Aven,c the place of Israel’s sin, will crumble.
Thorns and thistles will grow up around their altars.
They will beg the mountains, “Bury us!”
and plead with the hills, “Fall on us!”

9

“Since the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, Israel,
and there you have remained.c
Will not war again overtake
the evildoers in Gibeah?

9

The LORD says, “O Israel, ever since Gibeah,
there has been only sin and more sin!
You have made no progress whatsoever.
Was it not right that the wicked men of Gibeah were attacked?

10

When I please, I will punish them;
nations will be gathered against them
to put them in bonds for their double sin.

10

Now whenever it fits my plan,
I will attack you, too.
I will call out the armies of the nations
to punish you for your multiplied sins.

11

Ephraim is a trained heifer
that loves to thresh;
so I will put a yoke
on her fair neck.
I will drive Ephraim,
Judah must plow,
and Jacob must break up the ground.

11

“Israeld is like a trained heifer treading out the grain —
an easy job she loves.
But I will put a heavy yoke on her tender neck.
I will force Judah to pull the plow
and Israele to break up the hard ground.

12

Sow righteousness for yourselves,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
for it is time to seek the Lord,
until he comes
and showers his righteousness on you.

12

I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness,
and you will harvest a crop of love.
Plow up the hard ground of your hearts,
for now is the time to seek the LORD,
that he may come
and shower righteousness upon you.’

13

But you have planted wickedness,
you have reaped evil,
you have eaten the fruit of deception.
Because you have depended on your own strength
and on your many warriors,

13

“But you have cultivated wickedness
and harvested a thriving crop of sins.
You have eaten the fruit of lies —
trusting in your military might,
believing that great armies
could make your nation safe.

14

the roar of battle will rise against your people,
so that all your fortresses will be devastated —
as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle,
when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.

14

Now the terrors of war
will rise among your people.
All your fortifications will fall,
just as when Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel.
Even mothers and children
were dashed to death there.

15

So will it happen to you, Bethel,
because your wickedness is great.
When that day dawns,
the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.

15

You will share that fate, Bethel,
because of your great wickedness.
When the day of judgment dawns,
the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.

Parallel

New International Version

New Living Translation

Hosea 10

Hosea 10