Hosea 10:3-13

3 For now they shall say, We have no king, because we did not fear the LORD; what then should a king do to us?

4 They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment shall spring up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn because of the calf, and the religious persons thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, which shall be made to vanish away.

6 It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to King Jareb: Ephraim shall be ashamed, and Israel shall be confused at his own counsel.

7 As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the surface of the waters.

8 And the altars of Aven shall be destroyed, the sin of Israel: the thorn and the thistle shall grow upon their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.

9 O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah; there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the sons of iniquity did not overtake them.

10 And I shall chastise them as I desire; and the peoples shall gather themselves over them, when they shall be bound in their two furrows.

11 Ephraim is a heifer that is taught and loves to tread out the wheat; but I shall pass over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to draw; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.

12 Sow yourselves unto righteousness, reap yourselves unto mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is the time to seek the LORD until he comes and teaches you righteousness.

13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye shall eat the fruit of lies because thou didst trust in thy way and in the multitude of thy mighty men.

Hosea 10:3-13 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.