Hosea 8

1 Set the trumpet to your mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.

“Put the trumpet to your lips! Something like an eagle is over the LORD’s house, because they have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law.

2 Israel shall cry to me, My God, we know you.

They cry to me, ‘My God, we, Israel, acknowledge you!’

3 Israel has cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.

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

4 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 them idols, that they may be cut off.

They have set up kings, but not by me. They have made princes, and I didn’t approve. Of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols, that they may be cut off.

5 Your calf, O Samaria, has cast you off; my anger is kindled against them: how long will it be before they attain to innocence?

Let Samaria throw out his calf idol! My anger burns against them! How long will it be until they are capable of purity?

6 For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

For this is even from Israel! The workman made it, and it is no God; indeed, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it has no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.

For they sow the wind, and they will reap the whirlwind. He has no standing grain. The stalk will yield no head. If it does yield, strangers will swallow it up.

8 Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.

Israel is swallowed up. Now they are amongst the nations like a worthless thing.

9 For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim has hired lovers.

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

10 Yes, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.

But although they sold themselves amongst the nations, I will now gather them; and they begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of mighty ones.

11 Because Ephraim has made many altars to sin, altars shall be to him to sin.

Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they became for him altars for sinning.

12 I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.

I wrote for him the many things of my law, but they were regarded as a strange thing.

13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of my offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepts them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.

As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD doesn’t accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity, and punish their sins. They will return to Egypt.

14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker, and builds temples; and Judah has multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire on his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire on his cities, and it will devour its fortresses.”