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.
“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 Will they cry unto Me: 'My God, we Israel know Thee'?
They cry out to me, 'My God, we in Israel know you.'
3 Israel hath cast off that which is good; the enemy shall pursue him.
But Israel has rejected what is good, and the enemy will 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, 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 Thy calf, O Samaria, is cast off; Mine anger is kindled against them; how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?
“Your calf has been rejected, Samaria. My anger is burning against these people. For how long will they stay guilty?
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 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; it hath no stalk, the bud that shall yield no meal; if so be it yield, strangers shall 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 are they become among the nations as a vessel wherein is no value.
Israel is swallowed up; now they lie among the nations like something useless.
9 For they are gone up to Assyria, like a wild ass alone by himself; Ephraim hath hired lovers.
For they went up to Assyria like a wild donkey all alone. Ephraim has hired lovers for herself.
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.
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 For Ephraim hath multiplied altars to sin, yea, altars have been unto him to sin.
For Ephraim has multiplied altars for sin offerings, but they have become altars for committing sins instead.
12 Though I write for him never so many things of My Law, they are accounted as a stranger's.
I could write down my law for them ten thousand times, but they would view it as something strange to them.
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 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 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.
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.
