Israel’s Sin and Captivity

¹Israel is a fertile vine

that brings forth its fruit.

As his fruit multiplied,

so his altars increased;

as his land prospered,

so he improved his pillars.

²Their heart is divided;[#1Ki 18:21]

now they must bear their guilt.

He will break down their altars

and destroy their pillars.

³For now they will say,

“We have no king,

because we do not fear the Lord ;

and a king, what could he do for us?”

⁴They speak mere words,

swearing falsely

in making a covenant.

Thus judgment springs up like a poisonous plant

in the furrows of the field.

⁵The inhabitants of Samaria fear

because of the calf of Beth-aven.

For its people mourn for it,

and its priests shriek for it,

because its glory has departed from it.

⁶It will be carried to Assyria

as a tribute to King Jareb.

Ephraim shall be put to shame,

and Israel shall be ashamed of his idol.

⁷As for Samaria, her king will perish[#Hos 10:3]

like a twig on the water.

⁸The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel,

will be destroyed.

Thorn and thistle will grow

on their altars.

They will say to the mountains, Cover us,

and to the hills, Fall on us.

⁹O Israel, you have sinned since the days of Gibeah.[#Hos 9:9]

There they have continued.

Will not the war in Gibeah against evildoers

overtake them?

¹⁰When I desire, I will punish them.[#Eze 5:13]

The nations will be gathered against them

when they are disciplined for their two transgressions.

¹¹Ephraim is a trained heifer[#Jer 50:11]

that loves to thresh grain,

but I harnessed her fair neck;

I will make Ephraim pull a plow.

Judah will plow;

Jacob shall furrow for himself.

¹²Sow to yourselves righteousness,

reap mercy,

break up your fallow ground;

for it is time to seek the Lord ,

until He comes

and rains righteousness upon you.

¹³You have plowed wickedness.[#Job 4:8]

You have reaped iniquity,

and you have eaten the fruit of lies.

Because you have trusted in your power

and in the numbers of your warriors,

¹⁴therefore a tumult will arise among your people,

and all your fortresses will be destroyed

as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel in the day of battle;

mothers were dashed to pieces upon their children.

¹⁵So will it be done to you, O Bethel,

because of your great wickedness.

At dawn

the king of Israel will be utterly cut off.