¹ Israel is an unpruned vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the abundance of his fruit he hath multiplied altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly statues.

² Their heart is divided; now shall they be found guilty: he will break down their altars, he will destroy their statues.

³ For now they will say, We have no king, for we feared not Jehovah; and a king, what can he do for us?

⁴ They speak [mere] words, swearing falsely in making a covenant; therefore shall judgment spring up as hemlock in the furrows of the fields.

⁵ The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calf of Beth-aven; for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the idolatrous priests thereof shall tremble for it, for its glory, because it is departed from it.

⁶ Yea, it shall be carried unto Assyria [as] a present for king Jareb: Ephraim shall be seized with shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

⁷ As for Samaria her king is cut off as chips upon the face of the waters.

⁸ And the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up upon their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us! and to the hills, Fall on us!

⁹ From the days of Gibeah hast thou sinned, O Israel: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.

¹⁰ At my pleasure will I chastise them; and the peoples shall be assembled against them, when they are bound for their two iniquities.

¹¹ And Ephraim is a trained heifer, that loveth to tread out [the corn]; I have passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to draw; Judah shall plough, Jacob shall break his clods.

¹² Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap according to mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek Jehovah, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

¹³ Ye have ploughed wickedness, reaped iniquity, eaten the fruit of lies; for thou didst confide in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.

¹⁴ And a tumult shall arise among thy peoples, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces with the children.

¹⁵ So shall Bethel do unto you because of the wickedness of your wickedness: at day-break shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.

¹ When I would heal Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, also the wickedness of Samaria; for they commit falsehood, and the thief enters in, and the gang of robbers ravages outside.

² They don't consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness. Now their own deeds have engulfed them. They are before my face.

³ They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

⁴ They are all adulterers. They are burning like an oven that the baker stops stirring, from the kneading of the dough, until it is leavened.

⁵ On the day of our king, the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He joined his hand with mockers.

⁶ For they have prepared their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait. Their baker sleeps all the night. In the morning it burns as a flaming fire.

⁷ They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges. All their kings have fallen. There is no one among them who calls to me.

⁸ Ephraim, he mixes himself among the nations. Ephraim is a pancake not turned over.

⁹ Strangers have devoured his strength, and he doesn't realize it. Indeed, gray hairs are here and there on him, and he doesn't realize it.

¹⁰ The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they haven't returned to Yahweh their God, nor sought him, for all this.

¹¹ "Ephraim is like an easily deceived dove, without understanding. They call to Egypt. They go to Assyria.

¹² When they go, I will spread my net on them. I will bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will chastise them, as their congregation has heard.

¹³ Woe to them! For they have wandered from me. Destruction to them! For they have trespassed against me. Though I would redeem them, yet they have spoken lies against me.

¹⁴ They haven't cried to me with their heart, but they howl on their beds. They assemble themselves for grain and new wine. They turn away from me.

¹⁵ Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, yet they plot evil against me.

¹⁶ They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a faulty bow. Their princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.