Hosea 8
1 “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.
[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 They cry out to me, 'My God, we in Israel know you.'
They shall soon cry out to me, [saying], O God, we know you.
3 But Israel has rejected what is good, and the enemy will 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, 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.”
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 “Your calf has been rejected, Samaria. My anger is burning against these people. For how long will they stay guilty?
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 this idol came from Israel; a workman made it; it is not God! The calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces.
Whereas the workman made it, and it is not God; therefore your calf, Samaria, was a deceiver:
7 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.
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 they lie among the nations like something useless.
Israel is swallowed up: now is he become among the nations as a worthless vessel.
9 For they went up to Assyria like a wild donkey all alone. Ephraim has hired lovers for herself.
For they have gone up to the Assyrians: Ephraim has been strengthened against himself; they loved gifts.
10 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.
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 For Ephraim has multiplied altars for sin offerings, but they have become altars for committing sins instead.
Because Ephraim has multiplied altars, [his] beloved altars are become sins to him.
12 I could write down my law for them ten thousand times, but they would view it as something strange to them.
I will write down a multitude [of commands] for him; but his statutes are accounted strange things, [even] the beloved altars.
13 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.
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 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.
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.
