Hosea 8
1 Let there be a trumpet in your throat, like an eagle over the house of the Lord, on behalf of those who have transgressed my covenant and violated 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 will call on me: “O my God, we, Israel, know you.”
To me they continually cry, ‘My God, we Israel, we know you!’
3 Israel has thrown away goodness; the enemy will overtake him.
But Israel has spurned that which is good, so let the foe pursue him.
4 They have reigned, but not by me. Leaders have emerged, and I did not recognize them. Their silver and their gold, they have made into idols for themselves, so that they might cross over.
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 Your calf, Samaria, has been rejected. My fury has been enraged against them. How long will they be incapable of being cleansed?
Your calf idol, O Samaria, is distasteful. My anger is kindled against them. How long will they escape punishment?
6 For it is itself also from Israel: a workman made it, and it is not God. For the calf of Samaria will be used for the webs of spiders.
Israel made the thing: a workman made it. It is not a god! Samaria’s calf will become mere splinters.
7 For they will sow wind and reap a whirlwind. It does not have a firm stalk; the bud will yield no grain. But if it does yield, strangers will eat it.
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 has been devoured. Now, among the nations, it has become like an unclean vessel.
Israel is devoured. Already it lies discarded among the nations like a worthless pot.
9 For they have gone up to Assur, a wild ass alone by himself. Ephraim has given presents to his lovers.
For by themselves they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey which wanders by itself. Ephraim pays for love
10 But even when they will have brought the nations together for the sake of money, now I will assemble them. And they will rest for a little while from the burden of the king and the leaders.
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 For Ephraim multiplied altars to sin, and sanctuaries have become an offense for him.
For as many altars as Ephraim has erected, they are to him altars for sinning,
12 I will write to him my intricate laws, which have been treated like strangers.
were I to write for him ever so many instructions, they would be regarded as from a stranger.
13 They will offer victims, they will immolate flesh and will eat, and the Lord will not accept them. For now he will remember their iniquity, and he will repay their sins: they will be turned back 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 And Israel has forgotten his Maker and has built shrines. And Judah has increased its fortified cities. And I will send fire upon his cities, and it will devour its structures.
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.
