3 For now they will say:"We have no king,because we don’t love the Lord.What then could a king do for us?"
4 They have spoken empty words,swearing falsely when making covenants;so judgment springs up like poisonous weedsin the furrows of the field.
5 The inhabitants of Samaria shakebecause of the calf of Beth-aven.Its people will mourn over it,just as its idolatrous priests who rejoiced over its glory that is now gone.
6 To Assyria it will be carriedas a gift for the great king.Ephraim will be put to shame;Israel will be ashamed of his own idol.
7 Samaria will be cut off;her king is like a chip of wood on the surface of the water.
8 The sin of Israel, the shrines of Avenwill be torn down.Thorn and thistle will sprout upon their altars.They will say to the mountains, "Cover us,"to the hills, "Fall on us."
9 Since the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, Israel;there they have continued.Will not war overtake them in Gibeah?