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.
'Unto thy mouth — a trumpet, As an eagle against the house of Jehovah, Because they transgressed My covenant, And against My law they have rebelled.
2 To me will they then cry, My God, we, Israel, know thee.
To Me they cry, 'My God, we — Israel — have known Thee.'
3 [But] Israel did reject the good; so let the enemy pursue him.
Cast off good hath Israel, an enemy pursueth 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 made kings, and not by Me, They have made princes, and I have not known, Their silver and their gold they have made to them idols, So that they are cut off.
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?
Cast off hath thy calf, O Samaria, Burned hath Mine anger against them, Till when are they not capable of purity?
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 even it [is] of Israel; an artificer made it, And it [is] not God, For the calf of Samaria is fragments!
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 wind they sow, and a hurricane they reap, Stalk it hath none — a shoot not yielding grain, If so be it yield — strangers do swallow it up.
8 Swallowed up is Israel: now are they among the nations as a vessel without any value.
Israel hath been swallowed up, Now they have been among nations, As a vessel in which is no delight.
9 For they are needs gone up to Assyria, they who like a wild ass should dwell alone: Ephraim spendeth lovers' gifts.
For they — they have gone up [to] Asshur, A wild ass alone by himself [is] Ephraim, They have hired 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.
Also though they hire among nations, Now I gather them, and they are pained a little, From the burden of a king of princes.
11 Because Ephraim hath multiplied altars to sin, the altars have been unto him the means of sinning.
Because Ephraim did multiply altars to sin, They have been to him altars to sin.
12 I ever wrote down for him the great things of my law; but as a strange thing are they accounted.
I write for him numerous things of My law, As a strange thing they have been reckoned.
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.
The sacrifices of Mine offerings! They sacrifice flesh, and they eat, Jehovah hath not accepted them, Now doth He remember their iniquity, And inspect their sin, They — [to] Egypt they turn back.
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 forget doth Israel his Maker, and buildeth temples, And Judah hath multiplied cities of defence, And I have sent a fire into his cities, And it hath consumed their palaces!
