Retribution for Israel’s Sin 1 Brenton Israel is a vine with goodly branches, her fruit is abundant: according to the multitude of her fruits she has multiplied her altars; according to the wealth of his land, he has set up pillars. BSB BSB: Israel was a luxuriant vine, yielding fruit for himself. The more his fruit increased, the more he increased the altars. The better his land produced, the better he made the sacred pillars.
2 Brenton They have divided their hearts; now shall they be utterly destroyed: he shall dig down their altars, their pillars shall mourn. BSB BSB: Their hearts are devious; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and demolish their sacred pillars.
3 Brenton Because now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the Lord: BSB BSB: Surely now they will say, “We have no king, for we do not revere the LORD. What can a king do for us?”
4 Brenton and what should a king do for us, speaking false professions as his words? he will make a covenant: judgment shall spring up as a weed on the soil of the field. BSB BSB: They speak mere words; with false oaths they make covenants. So judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.
5 Brenton The inhabitants of Samaria shall dwell near the calf of the house of On; for the people of it mourned for it: and as they provoked him, they shall rejoice at his glory, because he has departed from them. BSB BSB: The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn over it with its idolatrous priests—those who rejoiced in its glory—for it has been taken from them into exile.
6 Brenton And having bound it for the Assyrians, they carried it away as presents to king Jarim: Ephraim shall receive a gift, and Israel shall be ashamed of his counsel. BSB BSB: Yes, it will be carried to Assyria as tribute to the great king. Ephraim will be seized with shame; Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols.
7 Brenton Samaria has cast off her king as a twig on the surface of the water. BSB BSB: Samaria will be carried off with her king like a twig on the surface of the water.
8 Brenton And the altars of On, the sins of Israel, shall be taken away: thorns and thistles shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us. BSB BSB: The high places of Aven will be destroyed—it is the sin of Israel; thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”
9 Brenton From the time the hills existed Israel has sinned: there they stood: war waged against the children of iniquity BSB BSB: Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel, and there you have remained. Did not the battle in Gibeah overtake the sons of iniquity?
10 Brenton to chastise them shall not overtake them on the hill, the nations shall be gathered against them, when they are chastened for their two sins. BSB BSB: I will chasten them when I please; nations will be gathered against them to put them in bondage for their double transgression.
11 Brenton Ephraim is a heifer taught to love victory, but I will come upon the fairest part of her neck: I will mount Ephraim; I will pass over Juda in silence; Jacob shall prevail against him. BSB BSB: Ephraim is a well-trained heifer that loves to thresh; but I will place a yoke on her fair neck. I will harness Ephraim, Judah will plow, and Jacob will break the hard ground.
12 Brenton Sow to yourselves for righteousness, gather in for the fruit of life: light ye for yourselves the light of knowledge; seek the Lord till the fruits of righteousness come upon you. BSB BSB: Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.
13 Brenton Wherefore have ye passed over ungodliness in silence, and reaped the sins of it? ye have eaten false fruit; for thou hast trusted in thy sins, in the abundance of thy power. BSB BSB: You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your mighty men,
14 Brenton Therefore shall destruction rise up among thy people, and all thy strong places shall be ruined: as prince Solomon departed out of the house of Jeroboam, in the days of battle they dashed the mother to the ground upon the children, BSB BSB: the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be demolished as Shalman devastated Beth-arbel in the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces along with their children.
15 Brenton thus will I do to you, O house of Israel, because of the unrighteousness of your sins. BSB BSB: Thus it will be done to you, O Bethel, because of your great wickedness. When the day dawns, the king of Israel will be utterly cut off.