1 Israel is a sprawling vine, bearing fruit for himself. As his fruit multiplied, so did his altars; as his land prospered, so they adorned their sacred pillars.
2 Their heart is slippery; now they must answer for their guilt. He himself will smash their altars and lay waste their sacred pillars.
3 Soon they will be saying, "There is no king for us, since we did not fear the LORD; and a king, what would he do for us?"
4 They talk and talk, swear false oaths, and cut covenants; so justice sprouts like a poisonous plant in the furrows of a field.
5 The inhabitants of Samaria will be in dread for the calves of Beth-aven; for its people will mourn over it, and its idol priests will writhe over it, over its glory, because it has gone into exile from them.
6 It too will be carried to Assyria as tribute for King Jareb. Ephraim will be seized with shame, and Israel will be ashamed of his own counsel.
7 As for Samaria, her king is cut off like a chip of wood on the face of the water.
8 The high places of Aven will be wiped out, the sin of Israel; thorn and thistle will come up over their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, "Cover us," and to the hills, "Fall upon us."
9 From the days of Gibeah you have been sinning, Israel; there they have remained. Will not war against the sons of injustice catch up with them in Gibeah?
10 When I desire, I will discipline them; and peoples will be gathered against them when they are bound to their two iniquities.
11 Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh, but I have come upon her fair neck; I will put Ephraim to the yoke; Judah will plow; Jacob will break up his clods.
12 Sow for yourselves with a view to righteousness; reap according to steadfast love; plow up new ground for yourselves; it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.
13 You have plowed wickedness; injustice is what you reaped; you have eaten the fruit of lies, for you put your trust in your own way, in the great number of your fighting men.
14 So an uproar will break out among your people, and all your strongholds will be laid waste, just as Shalman laid waste Beth-arbel in the day of battle, when a mother was dashed to pieces along with her children.
15 This is what Bethel will bring on you, because of your evil upon evil. When dawn breaks, the king of Israel will be completely cut off.