A false heart

1Israel is a luxuriant vine

that yields its fruit.

The more his fruit increased

the more altars he built;

as his country improved

he improved his pillars.

2Their heart is false;

now they must bear their guilt.

The LORD10.2 Heb he will break down their altars,

and destroy their pillars.

3For now they will say:

“We have no king,

for we fear not the LORD,

and a king, what could he do for us?”

4They utter mere words;

with empty oaths they make covenants;

so judgment springs up like poisonous weeds

in the furrows of the field.

5The inhabitants of Samar'ia tremble

for the calf10.5 Gk Syr: Heb calves of Beth-a'ven.

Its people shall mourn for it,

and its idolatrous priests shall wail10.5 Cn: Heb exult over it,

over its glory which has departed from it.

6Yea, the thing itself shall be carried to Assyria,

as tribute to the great king.10.6 Cn: Heb a king that will contend

E'phraim shall be put to shame,

and Israel shall be ashamed of his idol.10.6 Cn: Heb counsel

7Samar'ia's king shall perish,

like a chip on the face of the waters.

810.8: Lk 23.30; Rev 6.16.The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel,

shall be destroyed.

Thorn and thistle shall grow up

on their altars;

and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us,

and to the hills, Fall upon us.

9From the days of Gib'e-ah, you have sinned, O Israel;

there they have continued.

Shall not war overtake them in Gib'e-ah?

10I will come10.10 Cn Compare Gk: Heb in my desire against the wayward people to chastise them;

and nations shall be gathered against them

when they are chastised10.10 Gk: Heb bound for their double iniquity.

11E'phraim was a trained heifer

that loved to thresh,

and I spared her fair neck;

but I will put E'phraim to the yoke,

Judah must plough,

Jacob must harrow for himself.

1210.12: 2 Cor 9.10.Sow for yourselves righteousness,

reap the fruit10.12 Gk: Heb according to of steadfast love;

break up your fallow ground,

for it is the time to seek the LORD,

that he may come and rain salvation upon you.

13You have ploughed iniquity,

you have reaped injustice,

you have eaten the fruit of lies.

Because you have trusted in your chariots10.13 Gk: Heb way

and in the multitude of your warriors,

14therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people,

and all your fortresses shall be destroyed,

as Shalman destroyed Beth-ar'bel on the day of battle;

mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.

15Thus it shall be done to you, O house of Israel,10.15 Gk: Heb O Bethel

because of your great wickedness.

In the storm10.15 Cn: Heb dawn the king of Israel

shall be utterly cut off.