1Israel was a vine full of boughs, fruit was made even to him (Israel was a vine full of branches, bringing forth fruit unto himself); by the multitude of his fruit he multiplied (the) altars, by the plenty of his land he was plenteous. [Israel a vine full of boughs, fruit is made even to him; after the multitude of his fruit he multiplied altars, after the plenty of his land he was plenteous in simulacra, or false gods.]

2In simulacra the heart of them is parted, now they shall perish. He shall break the simulacra of them, he shall rob the altars of them. (Their hearts be all turned toward their idols, and now they shall perish. Yea, God shall destroy their idols, and shall rob their altars.) [The heart of them is parted, now they shall perish. He shall break together the simulacra of them, he shall spoil the altars of them (He shall altogether break their idols, he shall spoil their altars).]

3For then they shall say, A king is not to us, for we dread(ed) not the Lord. And what shall a king do to us? (And then they shall say, We have no king, for we did not fear the Lord. But what good could a king do for us anyway?)

4Speak ye words of unprofitable vision, and ye shall smite bond of peace with leasing; and doom as bitterness shall burgeon on the furrows of the field. (Speak ye words of unprofitable vision, and ye shall strike a covenant with lies; and a bitter justice shall burgeon on the furrows of the field.)

5The dwellers of Samaria worshipped the kine of Bethaven. For the people thereof mourned on that calf, and the keepers of the house thereof; they made full out joy on it in the glory thereof, for it passed from that people. (The inhabitants of Samaria worshipped the calf of Bethaven. And so the people there, and the keepers of its temple, mourned when that calf was taken away; yea, they had rejoiced over it in its glory, before that it was taken away from that people.)

6For also it was borne to Assur, a gift to the king venger. Confusion shall take Ephraim, and Israel shall be shamed in his will. (For it shall be carried over to Assyria, as a gift to the great king. And so shame shall overtake Ephraim, yea, Israel shall be ashamed of their own willfulness/Israel shall be shamed by their own willfulness.)

7Samaria made his king to pass (away) as froth on the face of (the) water. (Samaria and his king were swept away, like froth upon the water.)

8And the high things of idol, the sin of Israel, shall be lost. A clote and a briar shall ascend on the altars of them (And the high places, that is, the hill shrines, of Aven, or of Bethaven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed. Thorns and briars, or nettles, shall grow upon their altars). And they shall say to mountains, Cover ye us, and to little hills, Fall ye down on us.

9From the days of Gibeah Israel sinned; there they stood. Battle shall not (over)take them in Gibeah, on the sons of wickedness. (From the days of Gibeah Israel hath sinned; and they have stood there in rebellion. So now in Gibeah the battle shall overtake them.)

10By my desire I shall chastise them; peoples shall be gathered together on them (peoples shall be gathered together against them), when they shall be chastised for their two wickednesses.

11Ephraim is a cow calf, taught for to love threshing; and I went on the fairness of the neck thereof. I shall go upon Ephraim. Judah shall ear, and Jacob shall break furrows to himself. (Ephraim is a cow calf, taught to love threshing; and I put a yoke upon its comely neck. And I shall go upon, or I shall drive, Ephraim. Yea, Judah shall plow, and Jacob, or Israel, shall break the furrows for themselves.)

12Sow ye to you rightfulness in truth, and reap ye in the mouth of mercy, and make ye new to you a field newly brought to tilth. Forsooth time is to seek the Lord, when he cometh that shall teach you rightfulness. (And so I said, Sow ye for yourselves righteousness, or justice, in truth, and reap ye in the mouth of mercy, and make ye new to you a field newly brought to fallow. For it is time to seek the Lord, and when he cometh, he shall rain blessings upon you.)

13Ye have eared unfaithfulness, ye have reaped wickedness, ye have eaten the corn of leasing. For thou trustedest in thy ways, and in the multitude of thy strong men. (But instead, ye have plowed unfaithfulness, ye have reaped wickedness, and ye have eaten the corn of lies. For thou hast trusted in thy chariots, and in the multitude of thy strong men.)

14Noise shall rise in thy people, and all thy strongholds shall be destroyed; as Shalman was destroyed of the house of him, that took vengeance on Betharbel; in the day of battle, when the mother was hurtled down on the sons. (And so now the noise of battle shall rise against thy people, and all thy strongholds shall be destroyed; like Shalman destroyed Betharbel in the day of battle, when the mother and her sons were hurtled down to the ground.)

15So Bethel did to you, for the face of malice of your wickednesses. As the morrowtide passeth, the king of Israel shall pass forth. (So Bethel, it shall be done to you, for the great malice of your wickednesses. Like the morning passeth into the day, so the king of Israel shall be swept away.)