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.
Put the horn to your mouth! An eagle swoops down upon the house of the Lord because they have transgressed my covenant, trespassed against my law.
2 They shall cry to me, My God, we, Israel know thee.
To me they continually cry, “My God, we Israel, we know you!”
3 Israel has cast off that which is good. The enemy shall pursue him.
But Israel has spurned that which is good, so let the foe pursue him.
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 themselves have made kings but without my consent. They have made princes but without my knowledge. Out of their silver and gold, they have made idols to their destruction!
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?
Your calf idol, O Samaria, is distasteful. My anger is kindled against them. How long will they escape punishment?
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.
Israel made the thing: a workman made it. It is not a god! Samaria’s calf will become mere splinters.
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.
They sow the wind and will reap the whirlwind. A shoot which has no stalk, yields no fruit If it should yield, strangers would devour it.
8 Israel is swallowed up. They are now among the nations as a vessel in which no man delights.
Israel is devoured. Already it lies discarded among the nations like a worthless pot.
9 For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey alone by himself. Ephraim has hired lovers.
For by themselves they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey which wanders by itself. Ephraim pays for love
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.
but even if they sell themselves among the nations, I will round them up. Soon the kings and princes will writhe under the burden of tribute!
11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, altars have been to him for sinning.
For as many altars as Ephraim has erected, they are to him altars for sinning,
12 I wrote for him the multitude of my law, but they are counted as a strange thing.
were I to write for him ever so many instructions, they would be regarded as from a stranger.
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.
The people love sacrifice, and so they offer sacrifices, meat, and so they eat it, although the Lord is not pleased with them, so now he will remember their guilt, and punish their sins. Back to Egypt with them!
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.
For Israel forgot his Maker and built palaces, and Judah multiplied fortified cities. But I will send fire upon her cities, and it will devour her strongholds.
