Hosea 8

1 Set the trumpet to thy mouth. As an eagle he comes against the house of Jehovah, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.

[He shall come] into their midst as the land, as an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant, and have sinned against my law.

2 They shall cry to me, My God, we, Israel know thee.

They shall soon cry out to me, [saying], O God, we know thee.

3 Israel has cast off that which is good. The enemy shall pursue him.

For Israel has turned away from good things; they have pursued an enemy.

4 They have set up kings, but not by me. They have made rulers, and I knew it not. They have made themselves idols of their silver and their gold, that they may be cut off.

They have made kings for themselves, but not by me: they have ruled, but they did not make it known to me: [of] their silver and their gold they have made images to themselves, that they might be destroyed.

5 He has cast off thy calf, O Samaria. My anger is kindled against them. How long will it be ere they attain to innocence?

Cast off thy calf, O Samaria; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will they be unable to purge themselves in Israel?

6 For even this is from Israel: the workman made it, and it is no God. Yea, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

Whereas the workman made it, and it is not God; wherefore thy calf, Samaria, was a deceiver:

7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. He has no standing grain. The blade shall yield no meal. If so be it yields, strangers shall swallow it up.

for they sowed blighted [seed], and their destruction shall await them, a sheaf of corn that avails not to make meal; and even if it should produce it, strangers shall devour it.

8 Israel is swallowed up. They are now among the nations as a vessel in which no man delights.

Israel is swallowed up: now is he become among the nations as a worthless vessel.

9 For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey alone by himself. Ephraim has hired lovers.

For they have gone up to the Assyrians: Ephraim has been strengthened against himself; they loved gifts.

10 Yea, though they hire among the nations, I will now gather them, and they shall begin to be diminished because of the burden of the king of rulers.

Therefore shall they be delivered to the nations: now I will receive them, and they shall cease a little to anoint a king and princes.

11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, altars have been to him for sinning.

Because Ephraim has multiplied altars, [his] beloved altars are become sins to him.

12 I wrote for him the multitude of my law, but they are counted as a strange thing.

I will write down a multitude [of commands] for him; but his statutes are accounted strange things, [even] the beloved altars.

13 As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it, but Jehovah does not accept them. He will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. They shall return to Egypt.

For if they should offer a sacrifice, and eat flesh, the lord will not accept them: now will he remember their iniquities, and will take vengeance on their sins: they have returned to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things among the Assyrians.

14 For Israel has forgotten his maker, and built palaces. And Judah has multiplied fortified cities. But I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the castles thereof.

And Israel has forgotten him that made him, and they have built fanes, and Juda has multiplied walled cities: but I will send fire on his cities, and it shall devour their foundations.