<\/p>\n
ISRAEL IS AN EMPTY VINE,<\/strong><\/p>\n HE BRINGETH FORTH FRUIT UNTO HIMSELF:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n according to the multitude of his fruit<\/p>\n he hath increased the altars;<\/p>\n <\/p>\n according to the goodness of his land<\/p>\n they have made goodly images.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Their heart is divided;<\/p>\n now shall they be found faulty:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n he shall break down their altars,<\/p>\n he shall spoil their images.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For now they shall say,<\/p>\n We have no king,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n because we feared not the LORD;<\/p>\n what then should a king do to us?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They have spoken words,<\/p>\n swearing falsely<\/p>\n in making a covenant:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n thus judgment springeth up as hemlock<\/p>\n in the furrows of the field.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The inhabitants of Samaria<\/p>\n shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n for the people thereof<\/p>\n shall mourn over it,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it,<\/p>\n for the glory thereof,<\/p>\n because it is departed from it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It shall be also carried unto Assyria<\/p>\n for a present to king Jareb:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ephraim shall receive shame,<\/p>\n and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As for Samaria,<\/p>\n her king is cut off<\/p>\n as the foam upon the water.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The high places also of Aven,<\/p>\n the sin of Israel,<\/p>\n shall be destroyed:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n the thorn<\/p>\n and the thistle<\/p>\n shall come up on their altars;<\/p>\n and they shall say to the mountains,<\/em><\/p>\n Cover us;<\/em><\/p>\n and to the hills,<\/em><\/p>\n Fall on us<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n O Israel,<\/p>\n thou hast sinned<\/p>\n from the days of Gibeah:<\/p>\n there they stood:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n the battle in Gibeah<\/p>\n against the children of iniquity<\/p>\n did not overtake them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is in my desire<\/p>\n that I should chastise them;<\/p>\n and the people shall be gathered<\/p>\n against them,<\/p>\n when they shall bind themselves<\/p>\n in their two furrows.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught,<\/p>\n and loveth to tread out the corn;<\/p>\n but I passed over upon her fair neck:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I will make Ephraim to ride;<\/p>\n Judah shall plow,<\/p>\n and Jacob shall break his clods.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sow to yourselves in righteousness,<\/p>\n reap in mercy;<\/p>\n break up your fallow ground:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n for it is time to seek the LORD,<\/p>\n till he come and rain righteousness upon you.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ye have plowed wickedness,<\/p>\n ye have reaped iniquity;<\/p>\n <\/p>\n ye have eaten the fruit of lies:<\/em><\/p>\n because thou didst trust in thy way,<\/em><\/p>\n in the multitude of thy mighty men<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Therefore shall a tumult arise<\/p>\n among thy people,<\/p>\n and all thy fortresses<\/p>\n shall be spoiled,<\/p>\n as Shalman spoiled Betharbel<\/p>\n in the day of battle:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n the mother was dashed in pieces<\/p>\n upon her children.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So shall Bethel do unto you<\/p>\n because of your great wickedness:<\/p>\n in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When Israel was a child,<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n then I loved him,<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n and called my son<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n out of Egypt.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As they called them,<\/p>\n so they went from them:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n they sacrificed unto Baalim,<\/p>\n and burned incense to graven images.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I taught Ephraim also to go,<\/p>\n taking them by their arms;<\/p>\n but they knew not that I healed them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I drew them with cords of a man,<\/p>\n with bands of love:<\/p>\n and I was to them<\/p>\n as they that take off the yoke on their jaws,<\/p>\n and I laid meat unto them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He shall not return<\/p>\n into the land of Egypt,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n but the Assyrian shall be his king,<\/p>\n because they refused to return.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And the sword shall abide on his cities,<\/p>\n and shall consume his branches,<\/p>\n and devour them,<\/p>\n because of their own counsels.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And my people are bent to backsliding from me:<\/p>\n though they called them to the most High,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n none at all would exalt him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n How shall I give thee up,<\/p>\n Ephraim?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n how shall I deliver thee, Israel?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n how shall I make thee as Admah?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n how shall I set thee as Zeboim?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n mine heart is turned within me,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n my repentings are kindled together.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger,<\/p>\n I will not return to destroy Ephraim:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n for I am God,<\/p>\n and not man;<\/p>\n the Holy One in the midst of thee:<\/p>\n and I will not enter into the city.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They shall walk after the LORD:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n he shall roar like a lion:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n when he shall roar,<\/p>\n then the children shall tremble from the west.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt,<\/p>\n and as a dove out of the land of Assyria:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n and I will place them in their houses,<\/p>\n saith the LORD.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ephraim compasseth me about with lies,<\/p>\n and the house of Israel with deceit:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n but Judah yet ruleth with God,<\/p>\n and is faithful with the saints.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n next<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n prev<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ISRAEL IS AN EMPTY VINE, HE BRINGETH FORTH FRUIT UNTO HIMSELF: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images. Their … Continue reading Hosea 10:1-11:12<\/em><\/h6>\n