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.
10:2 Their heart is deceitful, and now they must bear their guilt. The Lord will demolish their altars and destroy their sacred stones.
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?”
10:4 They make many promises, take false oaths and make agreements; therefore lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.
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. / *Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God).
10:6 It will be carried to Assyria as tribute for the great king. Ephraim will be disgraced; Israel will be ashamed of its foreign alliances.
10:7 Samaria’s king will be destroyed, swept away like a twig on the surface of the waters.
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!” / *Hebrew aven, a reference to Beth Aven (a derogatory name for Bethel); see verse 5.
10:9 “Since the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, Israel, and there you have remained.* Will not war again overtake the evildoers in Gibeah? / *Or there a stand was taken
10:10 When I please, I will punish them; nations will be gathered against them to put them in bonds for their double sin.
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.
10:12 Sow righteousness for yourselves, 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 his righteousness on you.
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,
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.
10:15 So will it happen to you, Bethel, because your wickedness is great. When that day dawns, the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.