1. Israel is a growing vinethat yields its fruit.The more his fruit increased,the more altars he built;the richer his land became,the more he set up sacred standing stones.
2. Their heart is false;now they must bear their guilt.The Lord will break down their altarsand destroy their standing stones.
3. For now they will say:"We have no king,because we don’t love the Lord.What then could a king do for us?"
4. They have spoken empty words,swearing falsely when making covenants;so judgment springs up like poisonous weedsin the furrows of the field.
5. The inhabitants of Samaria shakebecause of the calf of Beth-aven.Its people will mourn over it,just as its idolatrous priests who rejoiced over its glory that is now gone.
6. To Assyria it will be carriedas a gift for the great king.Ephraim will be put to shame;Israel will be ashamed of his own idol.
7. Samaria will be cut off;her king is like a chip of wood on the surface of the water.