Hosea 8
1 Put a trumpet to your lips! An eagle swoops over the house of the Lord because they have broken my agreement 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 calls out to me, “Our God, we know you!”
They cry out to me, 'My God, we in Israel know you.'
3 But Israel has rejected what is good. An enemy will chase after them.
But Israel has rejected what is good, and the enemy will pursue him.
4 They appointed kings without my consent and chose princes without my knowledge. With their silver and gold they made idols for 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 Samaria, I reject this calf idol you have made! My anger burns against them! How long will you be incapable of being good?
“Your calf has been rejected, Samaria. My anger is burning against these people. For how long will they stay guilty?
6 This idol is from Israel! A craftsman made it—it's not God! The calf of Samaria will be broken in pieces!
For this idol came from Israel; a workman made it; it is not God! The calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces.
7 Those who sow the wind will reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no head of grain; it will produce no flour. Even if it did produce grain, foreigners would swallow it all 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; among the nations they are like something nobody wants.
Israel is swallowed up; now they lie among the nations like something useless.
9 They have gone up to Assyria like a donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has hired lovers.
For they went up to Assyria like a wild donkey all alone. Ephraim has hired lovers for herself.
10 Even though they have hired allies among the nations, I will gather them together. Then they will writhe under the burden of the great king.
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 built many altars to make sin offerings, they instead became altars of sin!
For Ephraim has multiplied altars for sin offerings, but they have become altars for committing sins instead.
12 I wrote down for them the many aspects of my law, but they looked on them as foreign.
I could write down my law for them ten thousand times, but they would view it as something strange to them.
13 They present me with their sacrifices, and they eat the meat, but I the Lord do not accept them. Now he will remember their wickedness, and punish them for 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 built many fortified cities. But I will rain fire down on their cities and burn up their fortresses.
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.
