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1. Israel was a fertile vine that yielded fruit. As his fruit multiplied, he multiplied altars to Baal. As his land prospered, they adorned the fertility pillars.
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1. Israel H3478 is an empty H1238 vine H1612 , he bringeth forth H7737 fruit H6529 unto himself : according to the multitude H7230 of his fruit H6529 he hath increased H7235 the altars H4196 ; according to the goodness H2896 of his land H776 they have made goodly H3190 images H4676 .
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2. Their heart is slipping; soon they will be punished for their guilt. The LORD will break their altars; he will completely destroy their fertility pillars.
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2. Their heart H3820 is divided H2505 ; now H6258 shall they be found faulty H816 : he H1931 shall break down H6202 their altars H4196 , he shall spoil H7703 their images H4676 .
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3. Very soon they will say, "We have no king since we did not fear the LORD. But what can a king do for us anyway?"
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3. For H3588 now H6258 they shall say H559 , We have no H369 king H4428 , because H3588 we feared H3372 not H3808 H853 the LORD H3068 ; what H4100 then should a king H4428 do H6213 to us?
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4. They utter empty words, taking false oaths and making empty agreements. Therefore legal disputes sprout up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a plowed field.
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4. They have spoken H1696 words H1697 , swearing H422 falsely H7723 in making H3772 a covenant H1285 : thus judgment H4941 springeth up H6524 as hemlock H7219 in H5921 the furrows H8525 of the field H7704 .
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5. The inhabitants of Samaria will lament over the calf idol of Beth Aven. Its people will mourn over it; its idolatrous priests will wail over it, because its splendor will be taken from them into exile.
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5. The inhabitants H7934 of Samaria H8111 shall fear H1481 because of the calves H5697 of Beth H1007 -aven: for H3588 the people H5971 thereof shall mourn H56 over H5921 it , and the priests H3649 thereof that rejoiced H1523 on H5921 it, for H5921 the glory H3519 thereof, because H3588 it is departed H1540 from H4480 it.
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6. Even the calf idol will be carried to Assyria, as tribute for the great king. Ephraim will be disgraced; Israel will be put to shame because of its wooden idol.
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6. It shall be also H1571 carried H2986 unto Assyria H804 for a present H4503 to king H4428 Jareb H3377 : Ephraim H669 shall receive H3947 shame H1317 , and Israel H3478 shall be ashamed H954 of his own counsel H4480 H6098 .
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7. Samaria and its king will be carried off like a twig on the surface of the waters.
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7. As for Samaria H8111 , her king H4428 is cut off H1820 as the foam H7110 upon H5921 H6440 the water H4325 .
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8. The high places of the "House of Wickedness" will be destroyed; it is the place where Israel sins. Thorns and thistles will grow up over its altars. Then they will say to the mountains, "Cover us!" and to the hills, "Fall on us!"
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8. The high places H1116 also of Aven H206 , the sin H2403 of Israel H3478 , shall be destroyed H8045 : the thorn H6975 and the thistle H1863 shall come up H5927 on H5921 their altars H4196 ; and they shall say H559 to the mountains H2022 , Cover H3680 us ; and to the hills H1389 , Fall H5307 on H5921 us.
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9. O Israel, you have sinned since the time of Gibeah, and there you have remained. Did not war overtake the evildoers in Gibeah?
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9. O Israel H3478 , thou hast sinned H2398 from the days H4480 H3117 of Gibeah H1390 : there H8033 they stood H5975 : the battle H4421 in Gibeah H1390 against H5921 the children H1121 of iniquity H5932 did not H3808 overtake H5381 them.
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10. When I please, I will discipline them; I will gather nations together to attack them, to bind them in chains for their two sins.
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10. It is in my desire H185 that I should chastise H3256 them ; and the people H5971 shall be gathered H622 against H5921 them , when they shall bind H631 themselves in their two H8147 furrows H5869 .
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11. Ephraim was a well-trained heifer who loved to thresh grain; I myself put a fine yoke on her neck. I will harness Ephraim. Let Judah plow! Let Jacob break up the unplowed ground for himself!
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11. And Ephraim H669 is as a heifer H5697 that is taught H3925 , and loveth H157 to tread out H1758 the corn ; but I H589 passed over H5674 upon H5921 her fair H2898 neck H6677 : I will make Ephraim H669 to ride H7392 ; Judah H3063 shall plow H2790 , and Jacob H3290 shall break his clods H7702 .
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12. Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap unfailing love. Break up the unplowed ground for yourselves, for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers deliverance on you.
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12. Sow H2232 to yourselves in righteousness H6666 , reap H7114 in H6310 mercy H2617 ; break up H5214 your fallow ground H5215 : for it is time H6256 to seek H1875 H853 the LORD H3068 , till H5704 he come H935 and rain H3384 righteousness H6664 upon you.
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13. But you have plowed wickedness; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your chariots; you have relied on your many warriors.
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13. Ye have plowed H2790 wickedness H7562 , ye have reaped H7114 iniquity H5766 ; ye have eaten H398 the fruit H6529 of lies H3585 : because H3588 thou didst trust H982 in thy way H1870 , in the multitude H7230 of thy mighty men H1368 .
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14. The roar of battle will rise against your people; all your fortresses will be devastated, just as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.
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14. Therefore shall a tumult H7588 arise H6965 among thy people H5971 , and all H3605 thy fortresses H4013 shall be spoiled H7703 , as Shalman H8020 spoiled H7701 Beth H1009 -arbel in the day H3117 of battle H4421 : the mother H517 was dashed in pieces H7376 upon H5921 her children H1121 .
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15. So will it happen to you, O Bethel, because of your great wickedness! When that day dawns, the king of Israel will be destroyed.
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15. So H3602 shall Bethel H1008 do H6213 unto you because H4480 H6440 of your great wickedness H7451 H7451 : in a morning H7837 shall the king H4428 of Israel H3478 utterly be cut off H1820 H1820 .
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