Hosea

 1 Israel is an empty ^avine, he bringeth forth ^bfruit unto ^chimself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the ^daltars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.

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

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

 5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the ^acalves of Beth-aven: 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 shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king ^aJareb: Ephraim shall receive ^bshame, and Israel shall be ^cashamed of his own ^dcounsel.

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

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

 9 O Israel, thou hast ^asinned from the days of ^bGibeah: there they stood: the ^cbattle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.

 10 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 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 to yourselves in ^arighteousness, ^breap in mercy; ^cbreak up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

 13 Ye have plowed ^awickedness, 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 Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as ^aShalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was ^bdashed in pieces upon her children.

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