1 Israel is a luxuriant vine that yields its fruit. The more abundant his fruit, the more altars he built. The richer his land, the more he adorned sacred pillars.

Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.

2 Their hearts are divided; now they must bear their guilt. He will tear down their altars and destroy their sacred pillars.

Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.

3 Now they will say, 'We have no king, for we did not fear the LORD. And as for the king, what could he do for us?

For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us?

4 They speak mere words, making covenants with false oaths, and judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.

They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

5 The inhabitants of Samaria tremble for the calf idol of Beth-aven. Its people will mourn over it, and so will its idolatrous priests, who rejoiced over its glory, because it will be taken from them.

The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.

6 It will also be carried off to Assyria as a tribute for the great king. Ephraim will be disgraced, Israel will be ashamed because of its own counsel.

It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

7 Samaria’s king will be destroyed, swept away like a twig on the surface of water.

As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water.

8 The high places of wickedness will be destroyed—it is the sin of Israel. Thorns and thistles will grow over their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, 'Cover us!' and to the hills, 'Fall on us!

The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.

9 From the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, Israel, and there they have remained. Will not war overtake them in Gibeah because of their wickedness?

O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.

10 When I desire, I will discipline them, and nations will be gathered against them to bind them for their double iniquities.

It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.

11 Ephraim was a trained heifer that loved to thresh, but I will put a yoke on her fair neck. I will drive Ephraim; Judah must plow, and Jacob must break up the ground.

And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.

12 Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and showers His righteousness on you.

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

13 But you have planted wickedness, reaped injustice, and eaten the fruit of deception. Because you trusted in your own way and in your many warriors,

Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.

14 the roar of battle will rise against your people, and all your fortresses will be devastated—as Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces with their children.

Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Betharbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.

15 Thus it will happen to you, Bethel, because of your great wickedness. At dawn, the king of Israel will be completely cut off.

So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.