Disgrace
10
📚Israel became an empty vine 📖.He brought forth fruit for himself 📖.
As his fruit multiplied,
he increased the number of altars.
As the prosperity
of his land increased
they adorned his sacred pillars 📖.
2 📚Their heart is divided 📖.
Now they must bear
their guilt 📖.
He will break down 📖 their altars,
he will ruin their sacred pillars.
3 📚For now they will say,
“We have no king,
because we did not fear the LORD.
What then could a king do for us?”
10:3 They would speak so, after the kingdom was destroyed and their king was in prison – 2 Kings 17:4-6.⚜
4 📚They speak words,
swearing falsely while making a covenant.
So judgment springs up like
poisonous weeds in the furrows
of the field.
10:4 Hos 4:1-2; 7:1. This is the way deceitful hearts (v 2) express themselves. Let us resolve to keep away from such poison. See 1 Cor 6:1-8.⚜
5 📚The inhabitants of Samaria
will fear for the calf idols 📖
of Beth-Aven 📖;
yes, its people will mourn over it,
and its priests,
who have rejoiced over it
for its splendour,
because it has now departed
from it.
6 📚And the idol will be carried
to Assyria as a present
for King Jareb.
Ephraim will be humiliated,
and Israel will be ashamed 📖
of his own counsel.
7 📚As for Samaria,
her king will be cut off like a stick
on the water.
8 📚And the high places 📖 of Aven 📖,
the sin of Israel 📖,
will be destroyed.
The thorn and the thistle
will come up on their altars,
and they will say to the mountains,
“Cover us!” And to the hills,
“Fall on us 📖”.
9 📚“O Israel, you have sinned
from the days of Gibeah.
There they stood.
Then the battle
in Gibeah against the children
of wickedness did not overtake them.
10:9 See Hos 9:9. God is speaking here.⚜
10 📚When it is my desire 📖
I will punish them;
and peoples will be gathered against them,
when they are to be bound
for their two transgressions 📖.
11 📚And Ephraim 📖 is like a trained
heifer that loves to thresh
the grain,
but I will put a yoke
on her fair neck.
I will drive Ephraim;
Judah will plow, and Jacob
will break up his clods”.
12 📚Sow for yourselves in righteousness,
reap 📖 in mercy.
Break up your fallow ground 📖.
For it is time to seek
the LORD 📖, until he comes
and rains righteousness 📖 on you.
13 📚You have plowed wickedness,
you have reaped evil.
You have eaten the fruit of lies,
📖 because you trusted in your way 📖,
in your many mighty men 📖.
10:13 Israel had been sowing the wrong sort of “seed” and it resulted in great trouble.⚜
14 📚Therefore a tumult will arise
among your people,
and all your fortresses will be plundered,
as Shalman spoiled Beth Arbel
on the day of battle;
the mother was dashed in pieces
on her children.
10:14 We know nothing about Shalman’s attack on Beth Arbel. This is the only place in the Bible where these names appear.⚜
15 📚Thus it will be done to you,
Bethel 📖, because of your great wickedness.
In one morning the king of Israel
will be completely cut off.