< Hosea 8 >
1 Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of YHWH, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
[He shall come] into their midst as the land, as an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant, and have sinned against my law.
2 Israel shall cry unto me, My Elohim, we know thee.
They shall soon cry out to me, [saying], O God, we know you.
3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
For Israel has turned away from good things; they have pursued an enemy.
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 made kings for themselves, but not by me: they have ruled, but they did not make it known to me: [of] their silver and their gold they have made images to themselves, that they might be destroyed.
5 Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?
Cast off your calf, O Samaria; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will they be unable to purge themselves in Israel?
6 For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not Elohim: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
Whereas the workman made it, and it is not God; therefore your calf, Samaria, was a deceiver:
7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
for they sowed blighted [seed], and their destruction shall await them, a sheaf of corn that avails not to make meal; and even if it should produce it, strangers shall devour it.
8 Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.
Israel is swallowed up: now is he become among the nations as a worthless vessel.
9 For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.
For they have gone up to the Assyrians: Ephraim has been strengthened against himself; they loved gifts.
10 Yea, 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.
Therefore shall they be delivered to the nations: now I will receive them, and they shall cease a little to anoint a king and princes.
11 Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.
Because Ephraim has multiplied altars, [his] beloved altars are become sins to him.
12 I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.
I will write down a multitude [of commands] for him; but his statutes are accounted strange things, [even] the beloved altars.
13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but YHWH accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.
For if they should offer a sacrifice, and eat flesh, the lord will not accept them: now will he remember their iniquities, and will take vengeance on their sins: they have returned to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things among the Assyrians.
14 For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.
And Israel has forgotten him that made him, and they have built fanes, and Juda has multiplied walled cities: but I will send fire on his cities, and it shall devour their foundations.