The Vine and the Calf
1 Israel is a lushvine;
it yields fruit for itself.
The more his fruit increased,
the more he increased the altars.
The better his land produced,
the better they made the sacred pillars.
2 Their hearts are devious;
now they must bear their guilt.
TheLordwill break down their altars
and demolish their sacred pillars.
3 In fact, they are now saying,
“We have no king!
For we do not fear theLord.
What can a king do for us? ”
4 They speak mere words,
taking false oaths while making covenants.
So lawsuits break out
like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.
5 The residents of Samariawill have anxiety
over the calfof Beth-aven.
Indeed, its idolatrous priests rejoiced over it;
the people will mourn over it,
over its glory.
It will certainly depart from them.
6 The calf itself will be taken to Assyria
as an offering to the great king.
Ephraim will experience shame;
Israel will be ashamed of its counsel.
7 Samaria’s king will disappear
like foamon the surface of the water.
8 The high placesof Aven, the sin of Israel,
will be destroyed;
thorns and thistles will grow over their altars.
They will say to the mountains,“Cover us! ”
and to the hills, “Fall on us! ”
Israel’s Defeat because of Sin
9 Israel, you have sinned
since the days of Gibeah;
they have taken their stand there.
Will not war against the unjust
overtake them in Gibeah?
10 I will disciplinethem at My discretion;
nations will be gathered against them
to put them in bondage
for their two crimes.
11 Ephraim is a well-trained calf
that loves to thresh,
but I will place a yoke onher fine neck.
I will harness Ephraim;
Judah will plow;
Jacob will do the final plowing.
12 Sow righteousness for yourselves
and reap faithful love;
break up your unplowed ground.
It is time to seek theLord
until He comesand sends righteousness
on you like the rain.
13 You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice;
you have eaten the fruit of lies.
Because you have trusted in your own way
and in your large number of soldiers,
14 the roar of battle will rise against your people,
and all your fortifications will be demolished
in a day of war,
like Shalman’s destruction of Beth-arbel.
Mothers will be dashed to pieces
along with their children.
15 So it will be done to you, Bethel,
because of your extreme evil.
At dawn the king of Israel will be totally destroyed.
—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/HOS/10-c9e0614c6601961bfd899a5540384656.mp3?version_id=72—