Hosea 8

1 Set the trumpet to your mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.

Put the horn to your mouth. He comes like an eagle against the house of the Lord; because they have gone against my agreement, they have not kept my law.

2 Israel shall cry to me, My God, we know you.

They will send up to me a cry for help: We, Israel, have knowledge of you, O God of Israel.

3 Israel has cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.

Israel has given up what is good; his haters will go after 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 have put up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, but I had no knowledge of it; they have made images of silver and gold, so that they may be cut off.

5 Your calf, O Samaria, has cast you off; my anger is kindled against them: how long will it be before they attain to innocence?

I will have nothing to do with your young ox, O Samaria; my wrath is burning against them; how long will it be before the children of Israel make themselves clean?

6 For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

The workman made it, it is no god; the ox of Samaria will be broken into bits.

7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it has no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.

For they have been planting the wind, and their fruit will be the storm; his grain has no stem, it will give no meal, and if it does, a strange nation will take it.

8 Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.

Israel has come to destruction; now they are among the nations like a cup in which there is no pleasure.

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

For they have gone up to Assyria like an ass going by himself; Ephraim has given money to get lovers.

10 Yes, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.

But though they give money to the nations for help, still I will send them in all directions; and in a short time they will be without a king and rulers.

11 Because Ephraim has made many altars to sin, altars shall be to him to sin.

Because Ephraim has been increasing altars for sin, altars have become a cause of sin to him.

12 I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.

Though I put my law in writing for him in ten thousand rules, they are to him as a strange thing.

13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of my offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepts them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.

He gives the offerings of his lovers, and takes the flesh for food; but the Lord has no pleasure in them; now he will keep in mind their evil-doing and give them the punishment of their sins; they will go back to Egypt.

14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker, and builds temples; and Judah has multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire on his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

For Israel has no memory of his Maker, and has put up the houses of kings; and Judah has made great the number of his walled towns. But I will send a fire on his towns and put an end to his great houses.