| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images. | 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 shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images. | 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 shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to 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 springeth up as 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 shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is 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. |
| 6It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to 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 as the foam upon the water. | 7Samaria's king will disappear like foam on the surface of the water. |
| 8The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and 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!" |
| 9O Israel, thou hast 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? |
| 10It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows. | 10I will discipline them at My discretion; nations will be gathered against them to put them in bondage for their two crimes. |
| 11And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and 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 to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon 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. |
| 13Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy 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 shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Betharbel in the day of battle: the mother was 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. |
| 15So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off. | 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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