Hosea 10:1-4
Hosea 10:1-4 The Message (MSG)
Israel was once a lush vine, bountiful in grapes. The more lavish the harvest, the more promiscuous the worship. The more money they got, the more they squandered on gods-in-their-own-image. Their sweet smiles are sheer lies. They’re guilty as sin. God will smash their worship shrines, pulverize their god-images. They go around saying, “Who needs a king? We couldn’t care less about GOD, so why bother with a king? What difference would he make?” They talk big, lie through their teeth, make deals. But their high-sounding words turn out to be empty words, litter in the gutters.
Hosea 10:1-4 King James Version (KJV)
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 heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images. For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us? They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
Hosea 10:1-4 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
Israel is a luxuriant vine; He produces fruit for himself. The more his fruit, The more altars he made; The richer his land, The better he made the sacred pillars. Their heart is faithless; Now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars And destroy their sacred pillars. Surely now they will say, “We have no king, For we do not revere the LORD. As for the king, what can he do for us?” They speak mere words, With worthless oaths they make covenants; And judgment sprouts like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.
Hosea 10:1-4 New Century Version (NCV)
Israel is like a large vine that produced plenty of fruit. As the people became richer, they built more altars for idols. As their land became better, they put up better stone pillars to honor gods. Their heart was false, and now they must pay for their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars; he will destroy their holy stone pillars. Then they will say, “We have no king, because we didn’t honor the LORD. As for the king, he couldn’t do anything for us.” They make many false promises and agreements which they don’t keep. So people sue each other in court; they are like poisonous weeds growing in a plowed field.
Hosea 10:1-4 American Standard Version (ASV)
Israel is a luxuriant vine, that putteth forth his fruit: according to the abundance of his fruit he hath multiplied his altars; according to the goodness of their land they have made goodly pillars. Their heart is divided; now shall they be found guilty: he will smite their altars, he will destroy their pillars. Surely now shall they say, We have no king; for we fear not Jehovah; and the king, what can he do for us? They speak vain words, swearing falsely in making covenants: therefore judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
Hosea 10:1-4 New International Version (NIV)
Israel was a spreading vine; he brought forth fruit for himself. As his fruit increased, he built more altars; as his land prospered, he adorned his sacred stones. Their heart is deceitful, and now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will demolish their altars and destroy their sacred stones. Then they will say, “We have no king because we did not revere the LORD. But even if we had a king, what could he do for us?” They make many promises, take false oaths and make agreements; therefore lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.
Hosea 10:1-4 New King James Version (NKJV)
Israel empties his vine; He brings forth fruit for himself. According to the multitude of his fruit He has increased the altars; According to the bounty of his land They have embellished his sacred pillars. Their heart is divided; Now they are held guilty. He will break down their altars; He will ruin their sacred pillars. 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?” They have spoken words, Swearing falsely in making a covenant. Thus judgment springs up like hemlock in the furrows of the field.
Hosea 10:1-4 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Israel is a luxuriant and prolific vine; He produces fruit for himself. The more his fruit, The more altars he made [to Baal]; The richer his land, The better he made the [idolatrous] pillars. Their heart is divided (faithless); Now they must bear their guilt and punishment. The LORD will break down [the horns of] their altars; He will destroy their idolatrous pillars. ¶Surely now they will say [in despair], “We have no [true] king, For we do not revere the LORD; And as for the king, what can he do for us [to rescue us]?” They have spoken empty (disingenuous) words, Swearing falsely to make covenants [they intend to break]; Therefore, judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.
Hosea 10:1-4 New Living Translation (NLT)
How prosperous Israel is— a luxuriant vine loaded with fruit. But the richer the people get, the more pagan altars they build. The more bountiful their harvests, the more beautiful their sacred pillars. The hearts of the people are fickle; they are guilty and must be punished. The LORD will break down their altars and smash their sacred pillars. Then they will say, “We have no king because we didn’t fear the LORD. But even if we had a king, what could he do for us anyway?” They spout empty words and make covenants they don’t intend to keep. So injustice springs up among them like poisonous weeds in a farmer’s field.
Hosea 10:1-4 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
Israel is a luxuriant vine that yields its fruit. The more his fruit increased, the more altars he built; as his country improved, he improved his pillars. Their heart is false; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and destroy their pillars. For now they will say: “We have no king, for we do not fear the LORD; and a king—what could he do for us?” They utter mere words; with empty oaths they make covenants; so judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.