< Hosea 8 >
1 Set the cornet to thy mouth. [Let the enemy come] like the eagle against the house of the Lord: because they have transgressed my covenant, and against my law have they trespassed.
Let there be a trumpet in thy throat like an eagle upon the house of the Lord: because they have transgressed my covenant, and have violated my law.
2 To me will they then cry, My God, we, Israel, know thee.
They shall call upon me: O my God, we, Israel, know thee.
3 [But] Israel did reject the good; so let the enemy pursue him.
Israel hath cast off the thing that is good, the enemy shall pursue him.
4 They set up kings, but not my advice: they chose princes and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made themselves idols so that they will be cut off.
They have reigned, but not by me: they have been princes, and I knew not: of their silver, and their gold they have made idols to themselves, that they might perish.
5 Thy calf, O Samaria, hath caused thy rejection; my anger is kindled against them: how long will it be that they cannot cleanse themselves?
Thy calf, O Samaria, is cast off, my wrath is kindled against them. How long will they be incapable of being cleansed?
6 For whom Israel did also that [idol] spring; an artisan made it, and no God is it: so then shall it become broken in splinters— that calf of Samaria.
For itself also is the invention of Israel: a workman made it, and it is no god: for the calf of Samaria shall be turned to spiders’ webs.
7 For the wind do they sow, and the whirlwind shall they reap: [their seed] bringeth no standing corn; the plant yieldeth no meal; but should it yield it, strangers would swallow it up.
For they shall sow wind, and reap a whirlwind, there is no standing stalk in it, the bud shall yield no meal; and if it should yield, strangers shall eat it.
8 Swallowed up is Israel: now are they among the nations as a vessel without any value.
Israel is swallowed up: now is he become among the nations like an unclean vessel.
9 For they are needs gone up to Assyria, they who like a wild ass should dwell alone: Ephraim spendeth lovers' gifts.
For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath given gifts to his lovers.
10 But even though they should spend gifts among the nations, now will I gather them: and they shall be humbled a little through the burden of the king of princes.
But even though they shall have hired the nations, now will I gather them together: and they shall rest a while from the burden of the king, and the princes.
11 Because Ephraim hath multiplied altars to sin, the altars have been unto him the means of sinning.
Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin: altars are become to him unto sin.
12 I ever wrote down for him the great things of my law; but as a strange thing are they accounted.
I shall write to him my manifold laws, which have been accounted as foreign.
13 My sacrificial offerings they slay as common flesh that they may eat it; the Lord accepteth them not in favor: now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins; they shall indeed return to Egypt.
They shall offer victims, they shall sacrifice flesh, and shall eat it, and the Lord will not receive them: now will he remember their iniquity, and will visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.
14 For Israel forgot his Maker, and built palaces; and Judah multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire among his cities, and it shall devour their fine edifices.
And Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and hath built temples: and Juda hath built many fenced cities: and I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the houses thereof.