Hosea 8
1 Set the horn to thy mouth. As a vulture he cometh against the house of the LORD; because they have transgressed My covenant, and trespassed 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 Will they cry unto Me: 'My God, we Israel know Thee'?
They shall soon cry out to me, [saying], O God, we know thee.
3 Israel hath cast off that which is good; the enemy shall pursue him.
For Israel has turned away from good things; they have pursued an enemy.
4 They have set up kings, but not from 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 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 Thy calf, O Samaria, is cast off; Mine anger is kindled against them; how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?
Cast off thy calf, O Samaria; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will they be unable to purge themselves in Israel?
6 For from Israel is even this: the craftsman made it, and it is no God; yea, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in shivers.
Whereas the workman made it, and it is not God; wherefore thy calf, Samaria, was a deceiver:
7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind; it hath no stalk, the bud that shall yield no meal; if so be it yield, strangers shall swallow it up.
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 are they become among the nations as a vessel wherein is no value.
Israel is swallowed up: now is he become among the nations as a worthless vessel.
9 For they are gone up to Assyria, like a wild ass alone by himself; Ephraim hath hired lovers.
For they have gone up to the Assyrians: Ephraim has been strengthened against himself; they loved gifts.
10 Yea, though they hire among the nations, now will I gather them up; and they begin to be minished by reason of the burden of king and 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 hath multiplied altars to sin, yea, altars have been unto him to sin.
Because Ephraim has multiplied altars, [his] beloved altars are become sins to him.
12 Though I write for him never so many things of My Law, they are accounted as a stranger's.
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 that are made by fire unto Me, let them sacrifice flesh and eat it, for the LORD accepteth them not. Now will He remember their iniquity, and punish their sins; they shall 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 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.
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.
