Hosea 10

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.

1Israel was like a vine full of fruit. But he kept all the fruit for himself. The more fruit he grew, the more altars he built. An altar is a table for giving gifts to a god. The better his land grew, the more stone pillars he made for false gods.

2Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.

2Their hearts are not honest. Now they must carry the blame for what they did. The LORD will break down their altars. He will smash their stone pillars.

3For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us?

3Soon they will say, "We have no king. That is because we did not honor the LORD. And what could a king do for us anyway?"

4They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

4They say words they do not mean. They make promises and break them. So fairness turns bad. It is like poison weeds coming up in a plowed field.

5The 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.

5The people of Samaria will be afraid for the calf idol at Bethaven. The people there will cry over it. So will the priests who were proud of it. It will be taken away from them.

6It 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.

6The calf will be carried to Assyria as a gift for the great king. Ephraim, another name for Israel, will be filled with shame. Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols.

NoteThe KJV says "king Jareb." That is not really a name. It means something like "the great king," and it points to the king of Assyria.

7As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water.

7Samaria will be swept away with her king. He will be like a small twig floating on the water.

8The 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.

8The high places of Aven will be torn down. High places were hilltops where people gave gifts to idols. Those places were Israel's sin. Thorns and weeds will grow over their altars. Then the people will say to the mountains, "Cover us!" And to the hills, "Fall on us!"

9O 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.

9Israel, you have done wrong since the days of Gibeah. And you are still doing it. Did the battle at Gibeah not catch up with those who did evil?

NoteThe KJV sounds like the battle at Gibeah did not catch the evil people. In the Hebrew it is a question: will war not catch up with them?

10It 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.

10God says, "I will punish them when I choose." Nations will gather together against them. They will be tied up because of their double wrongdoing.

11And 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.

11Ephraim was like a young cow that was well trained. She liked walking on the grain to thresh it. But I will put a wooden bar on her smooth neck. I will harness Ephraim to hard work. Judah will plow, and Jacob will break up the hard dirt.

Note"Corn" in the KJV means grain of any kind, like wheat or barley. It does not mean corn on the cob.

12Sow 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.

12Plant good and fair living like seed. Then you will gather in kind love. Break up the hard ground you have never plowed. It is time to look for the LORD. Keep looking until he comes. He will pour good living on you like rain.

13Ye 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.

13But you plowed evil, and you gathered in wrong. You ate the fruit of lies. You trusted your own way. You trusted your many strong soldiers.

14Therefore 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.

14So the roar of war will rise against your people. All your strong walls will be knocked down. It will be like when Shalman ruined Betharbel in battle. Mothers were killed there along with their children.

NoteShalman and Betharbel are a battle that people back then remembered. We do not know today exactly who or where they were.

15So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.

15This is what will happen to you, Bethel, because you did such great evil. When morning comes, the king of Israel will be cut off for good.