Israel’s Sin and Captivity

10 Israel empties his vine;He brings forth fruit for himself.According to the multitude of his fruitHe has increased the altars;According to the bounty of his landThey have embellished his sacred pillars.² Their heart is divided;Now they are held guilty.He will break down their altars;He will ruin their sacred pillars.

³ For now they say,“We have no king,Because we did not fear the Lord.And as for a king, what would he do for us?”⁴ They have spoken words,Swearing falsely in making a covenant.Thus judgment springs up like hemlock in the furrows of the field.

⁵ The inhabitants of Samaria fearBecause of the calf^[a] of Beth Aven.For its people mourn for it,And its priests shriek for it—Because its glory has departed from it.⁶ The idol also shall be carried to AssyriaAs a present for King Jareb.Ephraim shall receive shame,And Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

⁷ As for Samaria, her king is cut offLike a twig on the water.⁸ Also the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel,Shall be destroyed.The thorn and thistle shall grow on their altars;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 in Gibeah against the children of iniquity^[b]Did not overtake them.¹⁰ When it is My desire, I will chasten them.Peoples shall be gathered against themWhen I bind them for their two transgressions.^[c]11 Ephraim is a trained heiferThat loves to thresh grain;But I harnessed her fair neck,I will make Ephraim pull a plow.Judah shall plow;Jacob shall break his clods.”

¹² Sow for yourselves righteousness;Reap in mercy;Break up your fallow ground,For it is time to seek the Lord,Till 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 own way,In the multitude of your mighty men.¹⁴ Therefore tumult shall arise among your people,And all your fortresses shall be plunderedAs Shalman plundered Beth Arbel in the day of battle—A mother dashed in pieces upon her children.¹⁵ Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel,Because of your great wickedness.At dawn the king of IsraelShall be cut off utterly.