"They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no head; it will produce no flour. Were it to yield grain, foreigners would swallow it up."
NIV
For they sow the wind and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no meal; if it were to yield, strangers and aliens would eat it up.
AMP
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
KJV
"When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his sores, then Ephraim turned to Assyria, and sent to the great king for help. But he is not able to cure you, not able to heal your sores."
NIV
When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to [Assyria's] great King Jareb [for help]. Yet he cannot heal you nor will he cure you of your wound [received in divine judgment].
AMP
When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.
KJV
And the earth will respond to the grain, the new wine and the olive oil, and they will respond to Jezreel.
NIV
And the earth shall respond to the grain and the wine and the oil [which beseech it to bring them forth], and these shall respond to Jezreel [restored Israel, who prays for a supply of them].
AMP
And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel.
KJV
Jacob fled to the country of Aram; Israel served to get a wife, and to pay for her he tended sheep.
NIV
Jacob fled into the open country of Aram or Padan-aram, and [there] Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he herded sheep. [Gen. 29:18-20; 30:31; 31:38-41.]AMP
And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.
KJV
My people are determined to turn from me. Even though they call me God Most High, I will by no means exalt them.
NIV
My people are bent on backsliding from Me; though [the prophets] call them to Him Who is on high, none at all will exalt Him or lift himself up [to come to Him].
AMP
And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.
KJV
"Put the trumpet to your lips! An eagle is over the house of the LORD because the people have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law."
NIV
SET THE trumpet to your lips! [The enemy] comes as a [great] vulture against the house of the Lord, because they have broken My covenant and transgressed against My law.
AMP
Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
KJV
Their heart is deceitful, and now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will demolish their altars and destroy their sacred stones.
NIV
Their heart is divided and deceitful; now shall they be found guilty and suffer punishment. The Lord will smite and break down [the horns of] their altars; He will destroy their [idolatrous] pillars.
AMP
Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.
KJV
