Font Size
Hosea 10
New Catholic Bible
Hosea 10
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 10
Duplicity of Heart
1 Israel is a luxuriant vine
bringing forth a great bounty of fruit.
The more his fruit increased,
the more altars he built.
The more prosperous his land became,
the richer he made the sacred pillars.
2 Their heart is false;
now they must pay the penalty for the guilt.
God himself will destroy their altars
and demolish their sacred pillars.
3 Then they will say,
“We have no king
because we did not serve the Lord.
But even if we had a king,
what could he do for us?”
4 They make many empty promises,
swear false oaths and draw up treaties.
Thus litigation spreads like poisonous weeds
in the furrows of the fields.
5 The inhabitants of Samaria tremble
for the calf of Beth-aven.
The people mourn for it,
and its idolatrous priests mourn over it,
over its glory that has departed from it.
6 It will be carried to Assyria
as an offering to the great king.
Ephraim will be disgraced,
and Israel will be shamed by his schemes.
7 The king of Samaria will float away
like a flimsy twig drifting on the water.
8 The high places of Aven will be destroyed,
the shrines where Israel sinned.
Thorns and thistles shall flourish
and cover their altars.
Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall on us!”
9 Since the days of Gibeah,
you have sinned, O Israel,
and there you have remained.
Did not war overtake
the evildoers in Gibeah?
10 I have come to confront the rebels
and to chastise them.
Nations shall mass against them
to punish them for their two crimes.
11 Ephraim was a trained heifer
that loved to thresh grain.
I myself laid a yoke
upon her fair neck.
However, I will harness Ephraim;
Judah will be forced to plow,
and Jacob will harrow the land.
12 Sow righteousness for yourselves,
and reap a harvest of steadfast love.
Break up your fallow ground;
it is time to seek the Lord
so that he may come and rain down righteousness upon you.
13 However, you have plowed wickedness
and reaped depravity;
you have eaten the fruit of falsehood.
Because you have trusted in your chariots
and in your multitude of warriors,
14 the tumult of war will engulf your people,
and all your fortresses will be destroyed,
as Salman[a] devastated Beth-arbel on the day of battle
when mothers were dashed to pieces with their children.
15 Thus shall it be done to you, O Bethel,
because of your great wickedness.
At dawn the king of Israel
will be utterly destroyed.
Footnotes
- Hosea 10:14 Salman: a Moabite king who led a raid into Gilead. Beth-arbel was in the Transjordan region.
Hosea 10
New International Version
Hosea 10
New International Version
10 Israel was a spreading vine;(A)
he brought forth fruit for himself.
As his fruit increased,
he built more altars;(B)
as his land prospered,(C)
he adorned his sacred stones.(D)
2 Their heart is deceitful,(E)
and now they must bear their guilt.(F)
The Lord will demolish their altars(G)
and destroy their sacred stones.(H)
3 Then they will say, “We have no king
because we did not revere the Lord.
But even if we had a king,
what could he do for us?”
4 They make many promises,
take false oaths(I)
and make agreements;(J)
therefore lawsuits spring up
like poisonous weeds(K) in a plowed field.
5 The people who live in Samaria fear
for the calf-idol(L) of Beth Aven.[a](M)
Its people will mourn over it,
and so will its idolatrous priests,(N)
those who had rejoiced over its splendor,
because it is taken from them into exile.(O)
6 It will be carried to Assyria(P)
as tribute(Q) for the great king.(R)
Ephraim will be disgraced;(S)
Israel will be ashamed(T) of its foreign alliances.
7 Samaria’s king will be destroyed,(U)
swept away like a twig on the surface of the waters.
8 The high places(V) of wickedness[b](W) will be destroyed—
it is the sin of Israel.
Thorns(X) and thistles will grow up
and cover their altars.(Y)
Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”(Z)
and to the hills, “Fall on us!”(AA)
9 “Since the days of Gibeah,(AB) you have sinned,(AC) Israel,
and there you have remained.[c]
Will not war again overtake
the evildoers in Gibeah?
10 When I please, I will punish(AD) them;
nations will be gathered against them
to put them in bonds for their double sin.
11 Ephraim is a trained heifer
that loves to thresh;
so I will put a yoke(AE)
on her fair neck.
I will drive Ephraim,
Judah must plow,
and Jacob must break up the ground.
12 Sow(AF) righteousness(AG) for yourselves,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;(AH)
for it is time to seek(AI) the Lord,
until he comes
and showers his righteousness(AJ) on you.
13 But you have planted wickedness,
you have reaped evil,(AK)
you have eaten the fruit of deception.(AL)
Because you have depended on your own strength
and on your many warriors,(AM)
14 the roar of battle will rise against your people,
so that all your fortresses will be devastated(AN)—
as Shalman(AO) devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle,
when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.(AP)
15 So will it happen to you, Bethel,
because your wickedness is great.
When that day dawns,
the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.(AQ)
Footnotes
- Hosea 10:5 Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God).
- Hosea 10:8 Hebrew aven, a reference to Beth Aven (a derogatory name for Bethel); see verse 5.
- Hosea 10:9 Or there a stand was taken
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.