1 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.
2 The hearts of the people are fickle;they are guilty and must be punished.The lord will break down their altarsand smash their sacred pillars.
3 Then they will say, “We have no kingbecause we didn’t fear the lord.But even if we had a king,what could he do for us anyway?”
4 They spout empty wordsand make covenants they don’t intend to keep.So injustice springs up among themlike poisonous weeds in a farmer’s field.
5 The people of Samaria tremble in fearfor their calf idol at Beth-aven,and they mourn for it.Though its priests rejoice over it,its glory will be stripped away.