< Hosea 8 >

1 “Place a trumpet at your lips! An eagle is coming over the house of Yahweh because the people have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law.
[Set] the trumpet to thy mouth. [He shall come] as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
2 They cry out to me, 'My God, we in Israel know you.'
Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.
3 But Israel has rejected what is good, and the enemy will pursue him.
Israel hath cast off [the thing that is] good: the enemy shall pursue him.
4 They have set up kings, but not by me. They have made princes, but without my knowledge. With their silver and gold they have made idols for themselves, but it was only so they might be cut off.”
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.
5 “Your calf has been rejected, Samaria. My anger is burning against these people. For how long will they stay guilty?
Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast [thee] off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long [will it be] ere they attain to innocency?
6 For this idol came from Israel; a workman made it; it is not God! The calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces.
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.
7 For the people sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it yields no flour. If it does come to maturity, foreigners will devour it.
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
8 Israel is swallowed up; now they lie among the nations like something useless.
Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein [is] no pleasure.
9 For they went up to Assyria like a wild donkey all alone. Ephraim has hired lovers for herself.
For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.
10 Even though they have hired lovers among the nations, I will now gather them together. They will begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of princes.
Yea, 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.
11 For Ephraim has multiplied altars for sin offerings, but they have become altars for committing sins instead.
Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.
12 I could write down my law for them ten thousand times, but they would view it as something strange to them.
I have written to him the great things of my law, [but] they were counted as a strange thing.
13 As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but I, Yahweh, do not accept them. Now I will think about their iniquity and punish their sins. They will return to Egypt.
They sacrifice flesh [for] the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat [it; but] the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.
14 Israel has forgotten me, his Maker, and has built palaces. Judah has fortified many cities, but I will send fire on his cities; it will destroy his fortresses.
For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

< Hosea 8 >