Hosea 8
1 Put the ram’s horn to your lips! An eagle looms over the house of the LORD, because the people have transgressed My covenant and rebelled against My law.
Set the trumpet to your mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
2 Israel cries out to Me, “O our God, we know You!”
Israel shall cry to me, My God, we know you.
3 But Israel has rejected good; an enemy will pursue him.
Israel has cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
4 They set up kings, but not by Me. They make princes, but without My approval. With their silver and gold they make themselves idols, to their own destruction.
They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
5 He has rejected your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?
Your calf, O Samaria, has cast you off; my anger is kindled against them: how long will it be before they attain to innocence?
6 For this thing is from Israel— a craftsman made it, and it is not God. It will be broken to pieces, that calf of Samaria.
For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. There is no standing grain; what sprouts fails to yield flour. Even if it should produce, the foreigners would swallow it up.
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it has no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
8 Israel is swallowed up! Now they are among the nations like a worthless vessel.
Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.
9 For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey on its own. Ephraim has hired lovers.
For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim has hired lovers.
10 Though they hire allies among the nations, I will now round them up, and they will begin to diminish under the oppression of the king of princes.
Yes, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.
11 Though Ephraim multiplied the altars for sin, they became his altars for sinning.
Because Ephraim has made many altars to sin, altars shall be to him to sin.
12 Though I wrote for them the great things of My law, they regarded them as something strange.
I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.
13 Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to Me, and though they eat the meat, the LORD does not accept them. Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins: They will return to Egypt.
They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of my offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepts them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.
14 Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; Judah has multiplied its fortified cities. But I will send fire upon their cities, and it will consume their citadels.
For Israel has forgotten his Maker, and builds temples; and Judah has multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire on his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.
