Hosea 8
1 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.
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 Israel cries out to Me, “O our God, we know You!”
To me they continually cry, ‘My God, we Israel, we know you!’
3 But Israel has rejected good; an enemy will pursue him.
But Israel has spurned that which is good, so let the foe pursue him.
4 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.
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 has rejected your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?
Your calf idol, O Samaria, is distasteful. My anger is kindled against them. How long will they escape punishment?
6 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.
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. There is no standing grain; what sprouts fails to yield flour. Even if it should produce, the foreigners would 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 they are among the nations like a worthless vessel.
Israel is devoured. Already it lies discarded among the nations like a worthless pot.
9 For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey on its own. Ephraim has hired lovers.
For by themselves they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey which wanders by itself. Ephraim pays for love
10 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.
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 Though Ephraim multiplied the altars for sin, they became his altars for sinning.
For as many altars as Ephraim has erected, they are to him altars for sinning,
12 Though I wrote for them the great things of My law, they regarded them as something strange.
were I to write for him ever so many instructions, they would be regarded as from a stranger.
13 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.
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 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.
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.
