| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Israel empties his vine; He brings forth fruit for himself. According to the multitude of his fruit He has increased the altars; According to the bounty of his land They have embellished his sacred pillars. | 1Israel is a lush vine; it yields fruit for itself. The more his fruit increased, the more he increased the altars. The better his land produced, the better they made the sacred pillars. |
| 2Their heart is divided; Now they are held guilty. He will break down their altars; He will ruin their sacred pillars. | 2Their hearts are devious; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and demolish their sacred pillars. |
| 3For now they say, “We have no king, Because we did not fear the LORD. And as for a king, what would he do for us?” | 3In fact, they are now saying," We have no king! For we do not fear the LORD. What can a king do for us?" |
| 4They have spoken words, Swearing falsely in making a covenant. Thus judgment springs up like hemlock in the furrows of the field. | 4They speak mere words, taking false oaths while making covenants. So lawsuits break out like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field. |
| 5The inhabitants of Samaria fear Because of the calf of Beth Aven. For its people mourn for it, And its priests shriek for it— Because its glory has departed from it. | 5The residents of Samaria will have anxiety over the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its idolatrous priests rejoiced over it; the people will mourn over it, over its glory. It will certainly depart from them. |
| 6The idol also shall be carried to Assyria As a present for King Jareb. Ephraim shall receive shame, And Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel. | 6The calf itself will be taken to Assyria as an offering to the great king. Ephraim will experience shame; Israel will be ashamed of its counsel. |
| 7As for Samaria, her king is cut off Like a twig on the water. | 7Samaria's king will disappear like foam on the surface of the water. |
| 8Also the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, Shall be destroyed. The thorn and thistle shall grow on their altars; They shall say to the mountains, “Cover us!” And to the hills, “Fall on us!” | 8The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, will be destroyed; thorns and thistles will grow over their altars. 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. The battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity Did not overtake them. | 9Israel, you have sinned since the days of Gibeah; they have taken their stand there. Will not war against the unjust overtake them in Gibeah? |
| 10When it is My desire, I will chasten them. Peoples shall be gathered against them When I bind them for their two transgressions. | 10I will discipline them at My discretion; nations will be gathered against them to put them in bondage for their two crimes. |
| 11Ephraim is a trained heifer That loves to thresh grain; But I harnessed her fair neck, I will make Ephraim pull a plow. Judah shall plow; Jacob shall break his clods.” | 11Ephraim is a well-trained calf that loves to thresh, but I will place a yoke on her fine neck. I will harness Ephraim; Judah will plow; Jacob will do the final plowing. |
| 12Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you. | 12Sow righteousness for yourselves and reap faithful love; break up your unplowed ground. It is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness on you like the rain. |
| 13You have plowed wickedness; You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, Because you trusted in your own way, In the multitude of your mighty men. | 13You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in your large number of soldiers, |
| 14Therefore tumult shall arise among your people, And all your fortresses shall be plundered As Shalman plundered Beth Arbel in the day of battle— A mother dashed in pieces upon her children. | 14the roar of battle will rise against your people, and all your fortifications will be demolished in a day of war, like Shalman's destruction of Beth-arbel. Mothers will be dashed to pieces along with their children. |
| 15Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel, Because of your great wickedness. At dawn the king of Israel Shall be cut off utterly. | 15So it will be done to you, Bethel, because of your extreme evil. At dawn the king of Israel will be totally destroyed. |
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