Hos.10.1

Israel was once a lush vine, bountiful in grapes. The more lavish the harvest, the more promiscuous the worship. The more money they got, the more they squandered on gods--in-their-own-image.

Hos.10.1

Israel was a spreading vine; he brought forth fruit for himself. As his fruit increased, he built more altars; as his land prospered, he adorned his sacred stones.

Hos.10.1

Israel empties his vine; He brings forth fruit for himself. According to the multitude of his fruit He has increased the altars; According to the bounty of his land They have embellished his sacred pillars.

Hos.10.1

How prosperous Israel is--a luxuriant vine loaded with fruit! But the more wealth the people got, the more they poured it on the altars of their foreign gods. The richer the harvests they brought in, the more beautiful the statues and idols they built.

Hos.10.2

Their sweet smiles are sheer lies. They're guilty as sin. God will smash their worship shrines, pulverize their god-images.

Hos.10.2

Their heart is deceitful, and now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will demolish their altars and destroy their sacred stones.

Hos.10.2

Their heart is divided; Now they are held guilty. He will break down their altars; He will ruin their sacred pillars.

Hos.10.2

The hearts of the people are fickle; they are guilty and must be punished. The LORD will break down their foreign altars and smash their many idols.

Hos.10.3

They go around saying, "Who needs a king? We couldn't care less about GOD, so why bother with a king? What difference would he make?"

Hos.10.3

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?"

Hos.10.3

For now they say, "We have no king, Because we did not fear the LORD. And as for a king, what would he do for us?"

Hos.10.3

Then they will say, "We have no king because we didn't fear the LORD. But what's the difference? What could a king do for us anyway?"

Hos.10.4

They talk big, lie through their teeth, make deals. But their high-sounding words turn out to be empty words, litter in the gutters.

Hos.10.4

They make many promises, take false oaths and make agreements; therefore lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.

Hos.10.4

They have spoken words, Swearing falsely in making a covenant. Thus judgment springs up like hemlock in the furrows of the field.

Hos.10.4

They spout empty words and make promises they don't intend to keep. So perverted justice springs up among them like poisonous weeds in a farmer's field.

Hos.10.5

The people of Samaria travel over to Crime City to worship the golden calf-god. They go all out, prancing and hollering, taken in by their showmen priests. They act so important around the calf-god, but are oblivious to the sham, the shame.

Hos.10.5

The people who live in Samaria fear for the calf-idol of Beth Aven. Its people will mourn over it, and so will its idolatrous priests, those who had rejoiced over its splendor, because it is taken from them into exile.

Hos.10.5

The inhabitants of Samaria fear Because of the calf of Beth Aven. For its people mourn for it, And its priests shriek for it-- Because its glory has departed from it.

Hos.10.5

The people of Samaria tremble for their calf idol at Beth-aven. The people mourn over it, and the priests wail for it, because its glory will be stripped away.

Hos.10.6

They have plans to take it to Assyria, present it as a gift to the great king. And so Ephraim makes a fool of himself, disgraces Israel with his stupid idols.

Hos.10.6

It will be carried to Assyria as tribute for the great king. Ephraim will be disgraced; Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols.

Hos.10.6

The idol also shall be carried to Assyria As a present for King Jareb. Ephraim shall receive shame, And Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

Hos.10.6

This idol they love so much will be carted away with them when they go as captives to Assyria, a gift to the great king there. Israel will be laughed at and shamed because its people have trusted in this idol.

Hos.10.7

Samaria is history. Its king is a dead branch floating down the river.

Hos.10.7

Samaria and its king will float away like a twig on the surface of the waters.

Hos.10.7

As for Samaria, her king is cut off Like a twig on the water.

Hos.10.7

Samaria will be cut off, and its king will disappear like a chip of wood on an ocean wave.

Hos.10.8

Israel's favorite sin centers will all be torn down. Thistles and crabgrass will decorate their ruined altars. Then they'll say to the mountains, "Bury us!" and to the hills, "Fall on us!"

Hos.10.8

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

Hos.10.8

Also the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, Shall be destroyed. The thorn and thistle shall grow on their altars; They shall say to the mountains, "Cover us!" And to the hills, "Fall on us!"

Hos.10.8

And the pagan shrines of Aven, the place of Israel's sin, will crumble. Thorns and thistles will grow up around them. They will beg the mountains to bury them and the hills to fall on them.

Hos.10.9

You got your start in sin at Gibeah--that ancient, unspeakable, shocking sin--And you've been at it ever since. And Gibeah will mark the end of it in a war to end all the sinning.

Hos.10.9

"Since the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, O Israel, and there you have remained. Did not war overtake the evildoers in Gibeah?

Hos.10.9

"O Israel, you have sinned from the days of Gibeah; There they stood. The battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity Did not overtake them.

Hos.10.9

The LORD says, "O Israel, ever since that awful night in Gibeah, there has been only sin and more sin! You have made no progress whatsoever. Was it not right that the wicked men of Gibeah were attacked?

Hos.10.10

I'll come to teach them a lesson. Nations will gang up on them, Making them learn the hard way the sum of Gibeah plus Gibeah.

Hos.10.10

When I please, I will punish them; nations will be gathered against them to put them in bonds for their double sin.

Hos.10.10

When it is My desire, I will chasten them. Peoples shall be gathered against them When I bind them for their two transgressions.

Hos.10.10

Now I will attack you, too, for your rebellion and disobedience. I will call out the armies of the nations to punish you for your multiplied sins.

Hos.10.11

Ephraim was a trained heifer that loved to thresh. Passing by and seeing her strong, sleek neck, I wanted to harness Ephraim, Put Ephraim to work in the fields--Judah plowing, Jacob harrowing:

Hos.10.11

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

Hos.10.11

Ephraim is a trained heifer That loves to thresh grain; But I harnessed her fair neck, I will make Ephraim pull a plow. Judah shall plow; Jacob shall break his clods."

Hos.10.11

"Israel is like a trained heifer accustomed to treading out the grain--an easy job that she loves. Now I will put a heavy yoke on her tender neck. I will drive her in front of the plow. Israel and Judah must now break up the hard ground; their days of ease are gone.

Hos.10.12

Sow righteousness, reap love. It's time to till the ready earth, it's time to dig in with GOD, Until he arrives with righteousness ripe for harvest.

Hos.10.12

Sow for yourselves righteousness, 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 righteousness on you.

Hos.10.12

Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.

Hos.10.12

I said, `Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of my love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.'

Hos.10.13

But instead you plowed wicked ways, reaped a crop of evil and ate a salad of lies. You thought you could do it all on your own, flush with weapons and manpower.

Hos.10.13

But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors,

Hos.10.13

You have plowed wickedness; You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, Because you trusted in your own way, In the multitude of your mighty men.

Hos.10.13

"But you have cultivated wickedness and raised a thriving crop of sins. You have eaten the fruit of lies--trusting in your military might, believing that great armies could make your nation safe!

Hos.10.14

But the volcano of war will erupt among your people. All your defense posts will be leveled As viciously as king Shalman leveled the town of Beth-arba, When mothers and their babies were smashed on the rocks.

Hos.10.14

the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be devastated- as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.

Hos.10.14

Therefore tumult shall arise among your people, And all your fortresses shall be plundered As Shalman plundered Beth Arbel in the day of battle-- A mother dashed in pieces upon her children.

Hos.10.14

Now the terrors of war will rise among your people. All your fortifications will fall, just as they did when Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel. Even mothers and children were dashed to death there.

Hos.10.15

That's what's ahead for you, you so-called people of God, because of your off-the-charts evil. Some morning you're going to wake up and find Israel, king and kingdom, a blank--nothing.

Hos.10.15

Thus will it happen to you, O Bethel, because your wickedness is great. When that day dawns, the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.

Hos.10.15

Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel, Because of your great wickedness. At dawn the king of Israel Shall be cut off utterly.

Hos.10.15

You will share that fate, Bethel, because of your great wickedness. When the day of judgment dawns, the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.

Hos.11.1

"When Israel was only a child, I loved him. I called out, "My son!'-called him out of Egypt.

Hos.11.1

"When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

Hos.11.1

"When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.

Hos.11.1

"When Israel was a child, I loved him as a son, and I called my son out of Egypt.

Hos.11.2

But when others called him, he ran off and left me. He worshiped the popular sex gods, he played at religion with toy gods.

Hos.11.2

But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.

Hos.11.2

As they called them, So they went from them; They sacrificed to the Baals, And burned incense to carved images.

Hos.11.2

But the more I called to him, the more he rebelled, offering sacrifices to the images of Baal and burning incense to idols.

Hos.11.3

Still, I stuck with him. I led Ephraim. I rescued him from human bondage, But he never acknowledged my help,

Hos.11.3

It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them.

Hos.11.3

"I taught Ephraim to walk, Taking them by their arms; But they did not know that I healed them.

Hos.11.3

It was I who taught Israel how to walk, leading him along by the hand. But he doesn't know or even care that it was I who took care of him.

Hos.11.4

never admitted that I was the one pulling his wagon, That I lifted him, like a baby, to my cheek, that I bent down to feed him.

Hos.11.4

I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.

Hos.11.4

I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love, And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them.

Hos.11.4

I led Israel along with my ropes of kindness and love. I lifted the yoke from his neck, and I myself stooped to feed him.

Hos.11.5

Now he wants to go back to Egypt or go over to Assyria--anything but return to me!

Hos.11.5

"Will they not return to Egypt and will not Assyria rule over them because they refuse to repent?

Hos.11.5

"He shall not return to the land of Egypt; But the Assyrian shall be his king, Because they refused to repent.

Hos.11.5

"But since my people refuse to return to me, they will go back to Egypt and will be forced to serve Assyria.

Hos.11.6

That's why his cities are unsafe--the murder rate skyrockets and every plan to improve things falls to pieces.

Hos.11.6

Swords will flash in their cities, will destroy the bars of their gates and put an end to their plans.

Hos.11.6

And the sword shall slash in his cities, Devour his districts, And consume them, Because of their own counsels.

Hos.11.6

War will swirl through their cities; their enemies will crash through their gates and destroy them, trapping them in their own evil plans.

Hos.11.7

My people are hell-bent on leaving me. They pray to god Baal for help. He doesn't lift a finger to help them.

Hos.11.7

My people are determined to turn from me. Even if they call to the Most High, he will by no means exalt them.

Hos.11.7

My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, None at all exalt Him.

Hos.11.7

For my people are determined to desert me. They call me the Most High, but they don't truly honor me.

Hos.11.8

But how can I give up on you, Ephraim? How can I turn you loose, Israel? How can I leave you to be ruined like Admah, devastated like luckless Zeboim? I can't bear to even think such thoughts. My insides churn in protest.

Hos.11.8

"How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.

Hos.11.8

"How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Zeboiim? My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred.

Hos.11.8

"Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you like Admah and Zeboiim? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows.

Hos.11.9

And so I'm not going to act on my anger. I'm not going to destroy Ephraim. And why? Because I am God and not a human. I'm The Holy One and I'm here--in your very midst.

Hos.11.9

I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man- the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath.

Hos.11.9

I will not execute the fierceness of My anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim. For I am God, and not man, The Holy One in your midst; And I will not come with terror.

Hos.11.9

No, I will not punish you as much as my burning anger tells me to. I will not completely destroy Israel, for I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy.

Hos.11.10

"The people will end up following GOD. I will roar like a lion--Oh, how I'll roar! My frightened children will come running from the west.

Hos.11.10

They will follow the LORD; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.

Hos.11.10

"They shall walk after the LORD. He will roar like a lion. When He roars, Then His sons shall come trembling from the west;

Hos.11.10

"For someday the people will follow the LORD. I will roar like a lion, and my people will return trembling from the west.

Hos.11.11

Like frightened birds they'll come from Egypt, from Assyria like scared doves. I'll move them back into their homes." GOD's Word!

Hos.11.11

They will come trembling like birds from Egypt, like doves from Assyria. I will settle them in their homes," declares the LORD.

Hos.11.11

They shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt, Like a dove from the land of Assyria. And I will let them dwell in their houses," Says the LORD.

Hos.11.11

Like a flock of birds, they will come from Egypt. Flying like doves, they will return from Assyria. And I will bring them home again," says the LORD.

Hos.11.12

Ephraim tells lies right and left. Not a word of Israel can be trusted. Judah, meanwhile, is no better, addicted to cheap gods. [JC]

Hos.11.12

Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit. And Judah is unruly against God, even against the faithful Holy One.

Hos.11.12

"Ephraim has encircled Me with lies, And the house of Israel with deceit; But Judah still walks with God, Even with the Holy One who is faithful.

Hos.11.12

Israel surrounds me with lies and deceit, but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One.