spoken words,
swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up
as hemlock in the furrows of the field. 5. The inhabitants of
Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Beth-aven: for the
people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that
rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from
it. 6. It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king
Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of
his own counsel. 7. As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam
upon the water. 8. The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel,
shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on
their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to
the hills, Fall on us. 9. O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days
of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the
children of iniquity did not overtake them. 10. It is in my desire
that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered
against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.
11. And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread
out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make
Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.
12. Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up
your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till He come
and rain righteousness upon you. 13. Ye have plowed wickedness, ye
have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou
didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men. 14.
Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy
fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the
day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.
15. So shall Beth-el do unto you because of your great wickedness:
in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.'--HOSEA
x. 1-15.

The prophecy of this chapter has two themes--Israel's sin, and its
punishment. These recur again and again. Reiteration, not progress of
thought, characterises Hosea's fiery stream of inspired eloquence.
Conviction of sin and prediction of judgment are his message. We trace a
fourfold repetition of it here, and further note that in each case there
is a double reference to Israel's