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.

Put the trumpet to thy mouth! Like an eagle cometh an enemy against the house of Jehovah, Because they have transgressed my covenant, And have rebelled against my law.

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

They shall say to me, My God, we know thee, we, thine Israel!

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

Israel hath cast away what 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 princes, and I knew it not. Of their silver and their gold have they made themselves idols, That they may be brought to destruction.

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

An abomination is thy calf, O Samaria! Mine anger is kindled against them; How long will it be ere they can attain to purity!

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 from Israel it came; The workman made it, and it is no God; Yea, into fragments shall the calf of Samaria be broken.

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.

They have sown the wind, And they shall reap the whirlwind. They shall have no standing harvest; The ear shall yield no meal; If perchance it yield, strangers shall devour it.

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

Israel is swallowed up; Soon shall they become among the nations As a vessel which no one desireth.

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 solitary wild-ass; Ephraim hireth 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.

But though they hire among the nations, Soon will I gather the nations against them; Then shall they rest a little while from the burden of their king, and their princes!

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

Ephraim hath built many altars for sin, Therefore shall he have altars for sin.

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

Though I write for him many laws, They are accounted 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 to the sacrifices which they should offer me, they slay flesh and eat it; Jehovah hath no pleasure in them. Now will he remember their iniquity, And punish their sins; To Egypt shall they return.

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 hath forgotten his Maker, and builded palaces, And Judah hath multiplied fenced cities; But I will send a fire upon his cities, And it shall devour his palaces.