2 Their heart is faithless; Now they must bear their guilt. The Lord will break down their altars And destroy their sacred pillars.
3 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?"
4 They speak mere words, With worthless oaths they make covenants; And judgment sprouts like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.
5 The inhabitants of Samaria will fear For the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn for it, And its idolatrous priests will cry out over it, Over its glory, since it has departed from it.
6 The thing itself will be carried to Assyria As tribute to King Jareb; Ephraim will be seized with shame And Israel will be ashamed of its own counsel.
7 Samaria will be cut off with her king Like a stick on the surface of the water.
8 Also the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, will be destroyed; Thorn and thistle will grow on their altars; Then they will say to the mountains, "Cover us!" And to the hills, "Fall on us!"