Hosea 8

1 “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.

Put the ram’s horn to your lips! An eagle looms over the house of the LORD, because the people have transgressed My covenant and rebelled against My law.

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

Israel cries out to Me, “O our God, we know You!”

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

But Israel has rejected good; an enemy will pursue him.

4 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.

They set up kings, but not by Me. They make princes, but without My approval. With their silver and gold they make themselves idols, to their own destruction.

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

He has rejected your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?

6 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.

For this thing is from Israel— a craftsman made it, and it is not God. It will be broken to pieces, that calf of Samaria.

7 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.

For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. There is no standing grain; what sprouts fails to yield flour. Even if it should produce, the foreigners would swallow it up.

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

Israel is swallowed up! Now they are among the nations like a worthless vessel.

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

For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey on its own. Ephraim has hired lovers.

10 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.

Though they hire allies among the nations, I will now round them up, and they will begin to diminish under the oppression of the king of princes.

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

Though Ephraim multiplied the altars for sin, they became his altars for sinning.

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

Though I wrote for them the great things of My law, they regarded them as something strange.

13 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.

Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to Me, and though they eat the meat, the LORD does not 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 built palaces; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire on his cities, and it will devour its fortresses.”

Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; Judah has multiplied its fortified cities. But I will send fire upon their cities, and it will consume their citadels.