Hosea 10:2-12

2 Their heart is divided; now they will bear their guilt. He will break down their altars and destroy their standing-stones.

3 For now they will say, "We have no king, because we didn't fear ADONAI - and what could a king do for us, anyway?"

4 They mouth words, swearing falsely, making treaties. Thus judgment spreads like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.

5 The inhabitants of Shomron are frightened of the calf-gods of Beit-Aven. Its people mourn over it; its priests tremble over it, over its glory, which has left it.

6 It will be carried to Ashur as a present for a warring king. Efrayim will be put to shame, and Isra'el be ashamed of his own advice.

7 Shomron's king will perish like foam on the surface of the water.

8 Destruction will come to the high places of Aven, that is, to the sin of Isra'el. Thorns and thistles will grow over their altars; and they will say to the mountains, "Cover us!" and to the hills, "Fall on us!"

9 "Since the days of Giv'ah you have sinned, Isra'el. There they took their stand. For these arrogant people at Giv'ah, war was insufficient punishment.

10 When I wish to, I will discipline them; and the peoples will be gathered against them to discipline them for their two crimes."

11 Efrayim is a well-taught cow - it loves to tread the grain, and I have spared her fair neck. But I will put Efrayim in harness, Y'hudah will have to plow, Ya'akov will harrow his own land.

12 If you sow righteousness for yourselves, you will reap according to grace. Break up unused ground for yourselves, because it is time to seek ADONAI, till he comes and rains down righteousness upon you.

Hosea 10:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 10

This chapter is of the same argument with the former, and others before that; setting forth the sins of the ten tribes, and threatening them with the judgments of God for them; and exhorting them to repentance, and works of righteousness. They are charged with unfruitfulness and ingratitude; increasing in idolatry, as they increased in temporal good things, Ho 10:1; with a divided heart, and with irreverence of God, and their king; and with false swearing, covenant breaking, and injustice, Ho 10:2-4; and are threatened with a removal of their king, and with the destruction of their idols, and places of idolatry, which should cause fear in the common people, and mourning among the priests, Ho 10:1,5-8. It is observed, that their sin had been of long continuance, though the Lord had been kind and good unto them, in chastising them in love, giving them good laws, sending his prophets to exhort them to repentance and reformation, but all in vain, Ho 10:9-13; wherefore they are threatened with the spoiling of their fortresses, the destruction of the people, and the cutting off of their king, Ho 10:14,15.