10 Israel was a spreading vine;^(A)
    he brought forth fruit for himself.
As his fruit increased,
    he built more altars;^(B)
as his land prospered,^(C)
    he adorned his sacred stones.^(D)
2 Their heart is deceitful,^(E)
    and now they must bear their guilt.^(F)
The Lord will demolish their altars^(G)
    and destroy their sacred stones.^(H)

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?”
⁴ They make many promises,
    take false oaths^(I)
    and make agreements;^(J)
therefore lawsuits spring up
    like poisonous weeds^(K) in a plowed field.
⁵ The people who live in Samaria fear
    for the calf-idol^(L) of Beth Aven.^[a](M)
Its people will mourn over it,
    and so will its idolatrous priests,^(N)
those who had rejoiced over its splendor,
    because it is taken from them into exile.^(O)
6 It will be carried to Assyria^(P)
    as tribute^(Q) for the great king.^(R)
Ephraim will be disgraced;^(S)
    Israel will be ashamed^(T) of its foreign alliances.
⁷ Samaria’s king will be destroyed,^(U)
    swept away like a twig on the surface of the waters.
⁸ The high places^(V) of wickedness^[b](W) will be destroyed—
    it is the sin of Israel.
Thorns^(X) and thistles will grow up
    and cover their altars.^(Y)
Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”^(Z)
    and to the hills, “Fall on us!”^(AA)

⁹ “Since the days of Gibeah,^(AB) you have sinned,^(AC) Israel,
    and there you have remained.^[c]
Will not war again overtake
    the evildoers in Gibeah?
¹⁰ When I please, I will punish^(AD) them;
    nations will be gathered against them
    to put them in bonds for their double sin.
¹¹ Ephraim is a trained heifer
    that loves to thresh;
so I will put a yoke^(AE)
    on her fair neck.
I will drive Ephraim,
    Judah must plow,
    and Jacob must break up the ground.
¹² Sow^(AF) righteousness^(AG) for yourselves,
    reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;^(AH)
    for it is time to seek^(AI) the Lord,
until he comes
    and showers his righteousness^(AJ) on you.
¹³ But you have planted wickedness,
    you have reaped evil,^(AK)
    you have eaten the fruit of deception.^(AL)
Because you have depended on your own strength
    and on your many warriors,^(AM)
14 the roar of battle will rise against your people,
    so that all your fortresses will be devastated^(AN)—
as Shalman^(AO) devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle,
    when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.^(AP)
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.^(AQ)

⁵ “Will they not return to Egypt^(L)
    and will not Assyria^(M) rule over them
    because they refuse to repent?^(N)
6 A sword^(O) will flash in their cities;
    it will devour^(P) their false prophets
    and put an end to their plans.
⁷ My people are determined to turn^(Q) from me.^(R)
    Even though they call me God Most High,
    I will by no means exalt them.

⁸ “How can I give you up,^(S) Ephraim?^(T)
    How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah?
    How can I make you like Zeboyim?^(U)
My heart is changed within me;
    all my compassion^(V) is aroused.^(W)
9 I will not carry out my fierce anger,^(X)
    nor will I devastate^(Y) Ephraim again.
For I am God, and not a man^(Z)—
    the Holy One^(AA) among you.
    I will not come against their cities.
¹⁰ They will follow the Lord;
    he will roar^(AB) like a lion.^(AC)
When he roars,
    his children will come trembling^(AD) from the west.^(AE)
11 They will come from Egypt,
    trembling like sparrows,
    from Assyria,^(AF) fluttering like doves.^(AG)
I will settle them in their homes,”^(AH)
    declares the Lord.

⁷ The merchant uses dishonest scales^(Q)
    and loves to defraud.
⁸ Ephraim boasts,^(R)
    “I am very rich; I have become wealthy.^(S)
With all my wealth they will not find in me
    any iniquity or sin.”

⁹ “I have been the Lord your God
    ever since you came out of Egypt;^(T)
I will make you live in tents^(U) again,
    as in the days of your appointed festivals.
¹⁰ I spoke to the prophets,
    gave them many visions
    and told parables^(V) through them.”^(W)

¹¹ Is Gilead wicked?^(X)
    Its people are worthless!
Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?^(Y)
    Their altars will be like piles of stones
    on a plowed field.^(Z)
12 Jacob fled to the country of Aram^[c];^(AA)
    Israel served to get a wife,
    and to pay for her he tended sheep.^(AB)
13 The Lord used a prophet to bring Israel up from Egypt,^(AC)
    by a prophet he cared for him.^(AD)
14 But Ephraim has aroused his bitter anger;
    his Lord will leave on him the guilt of his bloodshed^(AE)
    and will repay him for his contempt.^(AF)