Hosea
Chapter 10
In the Land: A Leafy Vine
Israel was a flourishing vine, abundant in fruit. The more his fruit grew,the more altars he built; the more his land prospered, the more he decorated his sacred stones.
Their hearts are divided! They will pay for it. Their altars will be knocked down, and their sacred stones broken into pieces.
Now they say: “We have no king, because we have no fear of God and what good would a king do us?”
Let them speak like this,take an oath, and make covenants! Their sentence is growing like weeds in a plowed field.
The people of Samaria tremble over their idols in Bethel; they mourn for their calf, just as the priests who were so proud of it do.
The glorious idol has been taken far away, carried off to Assyria as a tribute to the great king. Ephraim will face shame because of this the people of Israel will be disgraced.
As for the king of Samaria, he has been carried off like foam on the water.
The idolatrous high places—the sin of Israel—will be destroyed. Thorn and thistle will overrun the altars. Then they will say to the mountains: “Cover us,” and to the hills: “Fall on us.”
Since the days of Gibeah, you have sinned and rebelled, Israel. Will the battle against the evildoers of Gibeah not overtake you again?
I will come and punish you, gathering the nations against you because of your double sin.
Ephraim is a well-trained heifer eager to thresh; I will place a yoke on her neck; Ephraim will be harnessed and used for plowing; the nation of Jacob will break the earth.
Plow new ground, sow justice for yourselves, and reap a harvest of kindness. It is time to seek the Lord until he comes to rain salvation upon you.
You planted wickedness, reaped evil, and ate the fruit of falsehood. When you depend on your strength and your many warriors, confusion will overwhelm your people.
See, your fortresses are destroyed, just like Salman devastated Beth-arbel; all have been crushed.
That is what will happen to you, people of Israel, because of your great evil. The storm will sweep away the king of Israel.
Commentaries
Judgement.
This marks the beginning of a series of short poems that focus on aspects of Israel’s joyful early history, contrasting with its current situation. Throughout, Israel’s unfaithfulness and infidelity are highlighted in opposition to the Lord’s steadfastness.
In the Land: A Leafy Vine.
The divided heart refers to the phenomenon of religious syncretism. This, combined with political instability (3) and the corruption of justice (4), leads to exile (5-6). “Bet-Aven” (5) means “house of iniquity” (see note on 4:15).