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.
“Place a trumpet at your lips! An eagle is coming over the house of Yahweh because the people have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law.
2 Israel cries out to Me, “O our God, we know You!”
They cry out to me, 'My God, we in Israel know you.'
3 But Israel has rejected good; an enemy will pursue him.
But Israel has rejected what is good, and the enemy will 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, but without my knowledge. With their silver and gold they have made idols for themselves, but it was only so they might 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 has been rejected, Samaria. My anger is burning against these people. For how long will they stay guilty?
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 this idol came from Israel; a workman made it; it is not God! The calf of Samaria will be broken to 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 the people sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it yields no flour. If it does come to maturity, foreigners will devour it.
8 Israel is swallowed up! Now they are among the nations like a worthless vessel.
Israel is swallowed up; now they lie among the nations like something useless.
9 For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey on its own. Ephraim has hired lovers.
For they went up to Assyria like a wild donkey all alone. Ephraim has hired lovers for herself.
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.
Even though they have hired lovers among the nations, I will now gather them together. They will begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of princes.
11 Though Ephraim multiplied the altars for sin, they became his altars for sinning.
For Ephraim has multiplied altars for sin offerings, but they have become altars for committing sins instead.
12 Though I wrote for them the great things of My law, they regarded them as something strange.
I could write down my law for them ten thousand times, but they would view it as something strange to them.
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.
As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but I, Yahweh, do not accept them. Now I will think about their iniquity and punish their sins. They will 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.
Israel has forgotten me, his Maker, and has built palaces. Judah has fortified many cities, but I will send fire on his cities; it will destroy his fortresses.
