³ For now they say,
“We have no king,
Because we did not fear the Lord.
And as for a king, what would he do for us?”
⁴ They have spoken words,
Swearing falsely in making a covenant.
Thus judgment springs up ^(D)like hemlock in the furrows of the field.

⁵ The inhabitants of Samaria fear
Because of the ^(E)calf^[b] of Beth Aven.
For its people mourn for it,
And ^[c]its priests shriek for it—
Because its ^(F)glory has departed from it.
⁶ The idol also shall be carried to Assyria
As a present for King ^(G)Jareb.
Ephraim shall receive shame,
And Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

⁷ As for Samaria, her king is cut off
Like a twig on the water.
⁸ Also the ^(H)high places of ^[d]Aven, ^(I)the sin of Israel,
Shall be destroyed.
The thorn and thistle shall grow on their altars;
^(J)They shall say to the mountains, “Cover us!”
And to the hills, “Fall on us!”

⁹ “O Israel, you have sinned from the days of ^(K)Gibeah;
There they stood.
The ^(L)battle in Gibeah against the children of ^[e]iniquity
Did not ^[f]overtake them.
¹⁰ When it is My desire, I will chasten them.
^(M)Peoples shall be gathered against them
When I bind them ^[g]for their two transgressions.
¹¹ Ephraim is ^(N)a trained heifer
That loves to thresh grain;
But I harnessed her fair neck,
I will make Ephraim ^[h]pull a plow.
Judah shall plow;
Jacob shall break his clods.”

¹² Sow for yourselves righteousness;
Reap in mercy;
^(O)Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord,
Till He ^(P)comes and rains righteousness on you.

^13 (Q)You have plowed wickedness;
You have reaped iniquity.
You have eaten the fruit of lies,
Because you trusted in your own way,
In the multitude of your mighty men.
¹⁴ Therefore tumult shall arise among your people,
And all your fortresses shall be plundered
As Shalman plundered Beth Arbel in the day of battle—
A mother dashed in pieces upon her children.
¹⁵ Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel,
Because of your great wickedness.
At dawn the king of Israel
Shall be cut off utterly.