| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1"Israel, the overgrown vine, bears fruit like itself; the more fruitful they become, the more altars they build. The better the land, the more ornate the stone idols. | 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 hearts are divided; from now on they are to be found guilty. God will tear down their altars, he will destroy their stone idols. | 2Their hearts are devious; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and demolish their sacred pillars. |
| 3From now on they will say, 'We have no king, because we did not fear the LORD— and what would a king 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?" |
| 4Their word is falsely given as they make their agreements; so judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field. | 4They speak mere words, taking false oaths while making covenants. So lawsuits break out like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field. |
| 5"The residents of Samaria will be terrified because of the cows of Beth-aven. Its people will mourn over Beth-aven, along with the priests who will mourn its glory, because that glory has departed. | 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. |
| 6Indeed, that glory will be carried to Assyria— it will become a present for an avenging king. Ephraim will be disgraced, and Israel will become ashamed of its decision. | 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. |
| 7Samaria's king will float away like driftwood on the surface of water. | 7Samaria's king will disappear like foam on the surface of the water. |
| 8Destroyed will be the high places of Aven, that are the sin of Israel. Both thorn and thistle will grow up over their altars. They will call out 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"From the time of Gibeah, you have sinned, Israel; There they took their stand; the battle at Gibeah could not subdue the lawless. | 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 I'm ready, I will chasten them; and the people will gather against them, to imprison them for their two unrighteous acts." | 10I will discipline them at My discretion; nations will be gathered against them to put them in bondage for their two crimes. |
| 11"Ephraim, the well-trained heifer, loves to thresh grain, so I will spare her neck. I will turn Ephraim into a pack animal. Judah will pull the plow, and Jacob will turn up the fallow ground. | 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 in righteousness in your own interest, reap in gracious love, break up your own unprepared ground; It is now time to inquire of the LORD, until he comes to pour out righteousness for 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 evil; you have reaped unrighteousness; you have eaten the fruit of hypocrisy; because you trusted in your own direction, and in the number of your mighty forces. | 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 a disaster will come upon your people, and all of your fortresses will be ruined. As Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel in wartime, mothers were dashed to pieces along with their 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. |
| 15The same will happen to you, Bethel, because of your great evil— early one morning the king of Israel will be totally silenced." | 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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