Hosea 8

1 [Set] the trumpet to thy mouth. As an eagle [he cometh] against the house of Jehovah, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.

Put the horn to your mouth! An eagle swoops down upon the house of the Lord because they have transgressed my covenant, trespassed against my law.

2 They shall cry unto me, My God, we Israel know thee.

To me they continually cry, ‘My God, we Israel, we know you!’

3 Israel hath cast off that which is good: the enemy shall pursue him.

But Israel has spurned that which is good, so let the foe pursue him.

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 themselves have made kings but without my consent. They have made princes but without my knowledge. Out of their silver and gold, they have made idols to their destruction!

5 He hath cast off thy calf, O Samaria; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?

Your calf idol, O Samaria, is distasteful. My anger is kindled against them. How long will they escape punishment?

6 For from Israel is even this; the workman made it, and it is no God; yea, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

Israel made the thing: a workman made it. It is not a god! Samaria’s calf will become mere splinters.

7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: he hath no standing grain; the blade shall yield no meal; if so be it yield, strangers shall swallow it up.

They sow the wind and will reap the whirlwind. A shoot which has no stalk, yields no fruit If it should yield, strangers would devour it.

8 Israel is swallowed up: now are they among the nations as a vessel wherein none delighteth.

Israel is devoured. Already it lies discarded among the nations like a worthless pot.

9 For they are gone up to Assyria, [like] a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.

For by themselves they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey which wanders by itself. Ephraim pays for love

10 Yea, though they hire among the nations, now will I gather them; and they begin to be diminished by reason of the burden of the king of princes.

but even if they sell themselves among the nations, I will round them up. Soon the kings and princes will writhe under the burden of tribute!

11 Because Ephraim hath multiplied altars for sinning, altars have been unto him for sinning.

For as many altars as Ephraim has erected, they are to him altars for sinning,

12 I wrote for him the ten thousand things of my law; but they are counted as a strange thing.

were I to write for him ever so many instructions, they would be regarded as from a stranger.

13 As for the sacrifices of mine offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it; but Jehovah accepteth them not: now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins; they shall return to Egypt.

The people love sacrifice, and so they offer sacrifices, meat, and so they eat it, although the Lord is not pleased with them, so now he will remember their guilt, and punish their sins. Back to Egypt with them!

14 For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and builded palaces; and Judah hath multiplied fortified cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the castles thereof.

For Israel forgot his Maker and built palaces, and Judah multiplied fortified cities. But I will send fire upon her cities, and it will devour her strongholds.