Hosea 8

1 Set the horn to thy mouth. As a vulture he cometh against the house of the LORD; because they have transgressed My covenant, and trespassed against My law.

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.

2 Will they cry unto Me: 'My God, we Israel know Thee'?

They shall cry to me, My God, we, Israel know thee.

3 Israel hath cast off that which is good; the enemy shall pursue him.

Israel has cast off that which is good. The enemy shall pursue him.

4 They have set up kings, but not from 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.

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.

5 Thy calf, O Samaria, is cast off; Mine anger is kindled against them; how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?

He has cast off thy calf, O Samaria. My anger is kindled against them. How long will it be ere they attain to innocence?

6 For from Israel is even this: the craftsman made it, and it is no God; yea, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in shivers.

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.

7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind; it hath no stalk, the bud that shall yield no meal; if so be it yield, strangers shall swallow it up.

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.

8 Israel is swallowed up; now are they become among the nations as a vessel wherein is no value.

Israel is swallowed up. They are now among the nations as a vessel in which no man delights.

9 For they are gone up to Assyria, like a wild ass alone by himself; Ephraim hath hired lovers.

For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey alone by himself. Ephraim has hired lovers.

10 Yea, though they hire among the nations, now will I gather them up; and they begin to be minished by reason of the burden of king and princes.

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.

11 For Ephraim hath multiplied altars to sin, yea, altars have been unto him to sin.

Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, altars have been to him for sinning.

12 Though I write for him never so many things of My Law, they are accounted as a stranger's.

I wrote for him the multitude of my law, but they are counted as a strange thing.

13 As for the sacrifices that are made by fire unto Me, let them sacrifice flesh and eat it, for the LORD accepteth them not. Now will He remember their iniquity, and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt.

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.

14 For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and builded palaces, and Judah hath multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the castles thereof.

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.