Read the Bible

^1 (a)Israel is a luxuriant vine
    that yields its fruit.
The more his fruit increased,
    ^(b)the more altars he built;
as his country improved,
    he improved his pillars.
² Their heart is false;
    now they must bear their guilt.
The Lord^[a] will break down their altars
    and destroy their pillars.

³ For now they will say:
    ^(c)"We have no king,
for we do not fear the Lord;
    and a king—what could he do for us?"
⁴ They utter ^(d)mere words;
    with empty^[b] oaths they make covenants;
so ^(e)judgment springs up like poisonous weeds
    ^(f)in the furrows of the field.
⁵ The inhabitants of Samaria tremble
    for ^(g)the calf^[c] of ^(h)Beth-aven.
Its people mourn for it, and so do its idolatrous priests—
    those who rejoiced over it and ⁽ⁱ⁾over its glory—
    for it has departed^[d] from them.
^6 (j)The thing itself shall be carried to Assyria
    as tribute to ^(k)the great king.^[e]
Ephraim shall be put to shame,
    and Israel shall be ashamed ^(l)of his idol.^[f]

^7 (m)Samaria's king shall perish
    like a twig on the face of the waters.
⁸ The high places of ⁽ⁿ⁾Aven, ^(o)the sin of Israel,
    shall be destroyed.
^(p)Thorn and thistle shall grow up
    on their altars,
and ^(q)they shall say to the mountains, "Cover us,"
    and to the hills, "Fall on us."

⁹ From ^(r)the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, O Israel;
    there they have continued.
    Shall not the war against the unjust^[g] overtake them in Gibeah?
^10 (s)When I please, ^(t)I will discipline them,
    and nations shall be gathered against them
    when they are bound up for ^(u)their double iniquity.

¹¹ Ephraim was a trained calf
    that ^(v)loved to thresh,
    and I spared her fair neck;
but I will put ^(w)Ephraim to the yoke;
    ^(x)Judah must plow;
    Jacob must harrow for himself.
^12 (y)Sow for yourselves righteousness;
    reap steadfast love;
    ^(z)break up your fallow ground,
for it is the time to seek the Lord,
    that he may come and ^(aa)rain righteousness upon you.

^13 (ab)You have plowed iniquity;
    you have reaped injustice;
    you have eaten the fruit of lies.
Because you have trusted in your own way
    and in the multitude of your warriors,
¹⁴ therefore ^(ac)the tumult of war shall arise among your people,
    and all your fortresses shall be destroyed,
as ^(ad)Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle;
    ^(ae)mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.
¹⁵ Thus it shall be done to you, O ^(af)Bethel,
    because of your great evil.
At dawn ^(ag)the king of Israel
    shall be utterly cut off.