2
The hearts of the people are fickle; they are guilty and must be punished. The LORD will break down their altars and smash their sacred pillars.
3
Then they will say, “We have no king because we didn’t fear the LORD . But even if we had a king, what could he do for us anyway?”
4
They spout empty words and make covenants they don’t intend to keep. So injustice springs up among them like poisonous weeds in a farmer’s field.
5
The people of Samaria tremble in fear for their calf idol at Beth-aven, and they mourn for it. Though its priests rejoice over it, its glory will be stripped away.
6
This idol will be carted away to Assyria, a gift to the great king there. Ephraim will be ridiculed and Israel will be shamed, because its people have trusted in this idol.