Hosea 10:6-15

6 The calf itself will be taken to Assyria as an offering to the great king.^[a] Ephraim will experience shame; Israel will be ashamed of its counsel.

7 Samaria's king will disappear^[b] like foam^[c] on the surface of the water.

8 The 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!"^[d]

Israel's Defeat because of Sin

9 Israel, you have sinned since the days of Gibeah; they have taken their stand there. Will not war against the unjust overtake them in Gibeah?

10 I will discipline them at My discretion; nations will be gathered against them to put them in bondage^[e] for their two crimes.^[f]

11 Ephraim is a well-trained young cow that loves to thresh, but I will place a yoke on^[g] her fine neck. I will harness Ephraim; Judah will plow; Jacob will do the final plowing.

12 Sow righteousness for yourselves and reap faithful love; break up your untilled ground. It is time to seek the Lord until He comes and sends righteousness on you like the rain.

13 You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way^[h] and in your large number of soldiers,

14 the 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.

15 So it will be done to you, Bethel, because of your extreme evil. At dawn the king of Israel will be totally destroyed.

Hosea 10:6-15 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or to King Yareb
• [b]. Or will be cut off
• [c]. Or a stick
• [d]. Rv 6:16
• [e]. LXX, Syr, Vg read against them when they are disciplined
• [f]. Jdg 19-21; 1 Kg 12:28-30
• [g]. Lit will pass over
• [h]. LXX reads your chariots