1 Israel was a goodly vine, but he hath brought forth unprofitable fruit: yea, the more fruit he had the more altars he made; the more good I did to their land, the more friendship showed they to their Images.
2 Their heart is divided, therefore will they be destroyed. The LORD shall break down their Images, he shall destroy their altars.
3 Then shall they say, "We have no king. For why? We have not feared the LORD. And what shall then the king do to us?"
4 They commune together, and swear vain oaths: they be confederate together, therefore groweth their punishment, as the weeds in the furrows of the land.
5 They that dwell in Samaria have worshiped the calf of Bethaven: therefore shall the people mourn over them, yea and the priests also, that in their wealthiness rejoiced with them. And why? It shall pass away from them.
6 It shall be brought to the Assyrians for a present unto king Jareb. Ephraim shall receive full punishment; Israel shall be confounded for his own imaginations;
7 Samaria with his king shall vanish away, as the scum upon the water.
8 The high places of Aven, where Israel do sin, shall be cast down: thistles and thorns shall grow upon their altars. Then shall they say to the mountains, "Cover us," and to the hills, "Fall upon us."
9 O Israel, thou hast sinned as Gibeah did afore time, where they remained: should not the battle then come upon the wicked children, as well as upon the Gibeonites?
10 I will chasten them, even after mine own desire; the people shall be gathered together over them, when I punish them for their great wickedness.
11 Ephraim was unto me, as a cow that is used to go to plow; therefore I loved him, and fell upon his fair neck. I drove Ephraim, Judah plowed, and Jacob played the husbandman:
12 that they might sow unto righteousness, and reap the fruits of well doing: that they might plow up their fresh land and seek the LORD, till he came, and learned them righteousness.
13 But now they have plowed them wickedness, therefore shall they reap sin, and eat the fruit of lies. Seeing thou puttest thy confidence in thine own ways, and leanest to the multitude of thy worthies:
14 there shall grow a sedition among thy people. All thy strong cities shall be laid waste, even as Shalman was destroyed with his familiars, through him that was avenged of Arbel in the day of battle: where the mother perished with her children.
15 Even so shall it go with you, O Bethel, because of your malicious wickedness. Like as the morning goeth away, so shall the king of Israel pass.