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1. Israel is like a vine that grows plenty of fruit. But as Israel got more and more things, he built more and more altars to honor false gods. His land became better and better, so he put up better and better stones to honor false gods.
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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. The people of Israel tried to trick God, but now they must accept their guilt. The Lord will break down their altars and destroy their memorial stones.
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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. Now the Israelites say, "We have no king. We don't honor the Lord. And his king cannot do anything to us."
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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 make promises, but they are only telling lies. They don't keep their promises. They make agreements {with other countries. God does not like those agreements}. The judges are like poisonous weeds growing in 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 people from Samaria worship the calves at Beth-Aven. They will cry. The priests will cry, because their beautiful idol is gone. It was carried away.
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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. It was carried away as a gift to the great king of Assyria. He will keep Ephraim's shameful idol. Israel will be ashamed of its 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's false god will be destroyed. It will be like a piece of wood floating away on the water's surface.
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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. Israel sinned and built many high places. The high places of Aven will be destroyed. Thorns and weeds will grow on their 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. "Israel, you have sinned since the time of Gibeah. (And the people have continued to sin there.) Those evil people at Gibeah will be trapped by war.
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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. I will come to punish them. Armies will come together against them and punish the Israelites for both of their 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 is like a trained young cow that loves to walk on grain on the threshing floor. I will put a good yoke on her neck. I will put the ropes on Ephraim. Then Judah will begin plowing. Jacob will break the ground 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. If you plant goodness, you will harvest faithful love. Plow your ground, and you will harvest with the Lord. He will come, and he will make goodness fall on you like rain.
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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 planted evil, and you harvested trouble. You ate the fruit of your lies, because you had trusted in your power and your soldiers.
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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. So your armies will hear the noise of battle, and all your fortresses will be destroyed. It will be like the time Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel. At that time of war mothers were killed 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. And this will happen to you at Bethel, because you did so many evil things. When that day begins, the king of Israel will be fully 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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