Hosea 10

¹Israel is a emptie vine, yet hath it brought foorth fruite vnto it selfe, and according to the multitude of the fruite thereof he hath increased the altars: according to the goodnesse of their lande they haue made faire images.

²Their heart is deuided: nowe shall they be founde faultie: he shall breake downe their altars: he shall destroy their images.

³For now they shall say, We haue no King because we feared not the Lord: and what should a King doe to vs?

⁴They haue spoken woordes, swearing falsly in making a couenant: thus iudgement groweth as wormewoode in the furrowes of the fielde.

⁵The inhabitants of Samaria shall feare because of the calfe of Beth-auen: for the people thereof shall mourne ouer it, and the Chemarims thereof, that reioyced on it for the glorie thereof, because it is departed from it.

⁶It shall bee also brought to Asshur, for a present vnto King Iareb: Ephraim shall receiue shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his owne counsell.

⁷Of Samaria, the King thereof is destroyed as the some vpon the water.

⁸The hie places also of Auen shall be destroied, euen the sinne of Israel: the thorne and the thistle shall growe vpon their altars, and they shall say to the mountaines, Couer vs, and to the hils, Fall vpon vs.

⁹O Israel, thou hast sinned from the daies of Gibeah: there they stoode: the battell in Gibeah against the children of iniquitie did not touch them.

¹⁰It is my desire that I should chastice them, and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall gather themselues in their two furrowes.