1Set the trumpet to your lips! One like a vulture is over the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law. (De 28:49; Ho 5:8; Ho 6:7)2To me they cry, “My God, we—Israel—know you.” (Mt 7:21)3Israel has spurned the good; the enemy shall pursue him.4They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction. (1Ki 12:20; 2Ch 13:5; Ho 7:7)5I have[1] spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence? (1Ki 12:28; Jer 13:27; Ho 10:5)6For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.[2] (Ho 8:5; Mic 1:6)7For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it. (Ho 7:9; Ho 10:12)8Israel is swallowed up; already they are among the nations as a useless vessel. (2Ki 17:6; Jer 22:28)9For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has hired lovers. (Jer 2:24; Ho 5:13)10Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And the king and princes shall soon writhe because of the tribute. (Eze 26:7; Ho 4:7; Ho 4:10)11Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning. (Ho 10:1; Ho 12:11)12Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing. (De 4:6; De 4:8)13As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the Lord does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt. (De 28:68; Jer 7:21; Ho 9:3; Ho 9:9; Ho 11:5; Am 4:4; Am 8:7)14For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; so I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds. (Isa 17:7; Ho 6:4; Am 2:5; Am 5:11)
1‘Put the trumpet to your lips! An eagle is over the house of the Lord because the people have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law.2Israel cries out to me, “Our God, we acknowledge you!”3But Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue him.4They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction.5Throw out your calf-idol, Samaria! My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of purity?6They are from Israel! This calf – a metalworker has made it; it is not God. It will be broken in pieces, that calf of Samaria.7‘They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no head; it will produce no flour. Were it to yield grain, foreigners would swallow it up.8Israel is swallowed up; now she is among the nations like something no-one wants.9For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has sold herself to lovers.10Although they have sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them together. They will begin to waste away under the oppression of the mighty king.11‘Though Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings, these have become altars for sinning.12I wrote for them the many things of my law, but they regarded them as something foreign.13Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to me, and though they eat the meat, the Lord is not pleased with them. Now he will remember their wickedness and punish their sins: they will return to Egypt.14Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; Judah has fortified many towns. But I will send fire on their cities that will consume their fortresses.’
Hosea 8
King James Version
1Set 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.2Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.3Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.4They 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.5Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?6For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.7For 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.8Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.9For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.10Yea, 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.11Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.12I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.13They 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.14For 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.
1The LORD said to me, ‘Put a trumpet to your lips! Give a warning to my people! Assyria is like an eagle. It is ready to attack my land. My people have broken the covenant I made with them. They have refused to obey my law.2Israel shouts to me, “We recognise you as our God!”3But they have turned away from what is good. So an enemy will chase them.4My people appoint kings I do not want. They choose princes without my permission. They use their silver and gold to make statues of gods. That is how they destroy themselves.’5The LORD says, ‘People of Samaria, throw out your god that looks like a calf! I am very angry with them. How long will it be until they are able to remain faithful to me?6Their calf is not God. A skilled worker from Israel made it. But that calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces.’7The LORD says, ‘Worshipping other gods is like worshipping the wind. It is like planting worthless seeds. Assyria is like a violent storm. That is all my people will harvest. There are no ears of corn on the stems that will come up. So they will not produce any flour. Even if they did produce corn, the Assyrians would eat all of it up.8So the people of Israel are swallowed up. Now they are among the nations like something no one wants.9They have gone up to Assyria for help. They are like a wild donkey that wanders around by itself. Ephraim’s people have sold themselves to their Assyrian lovers.10They have sold themselves to the nations to get their help. But now I will gather them together. They will get weaker and weaker. The mighty kings of Assyria will crush them.11‘Ephraim built many altars where they sacrificed sin offerings to other gods. So their altars have become places where they commit sin.12In my law I wrote down many things for their good. But they considered those things as something strange.13They offer sacrifices as gifts to me. They eat the meat of the animals they bring. But the LORD is not pleased with any of this. He will remember the evil things they have done. He will punish them for their sins. And they will return to Egypt.14Israel has forgotten the God who made them. They have built palaces for themselves. Judah has built forts in many towns. But I will send down fire on their cities. It will burn up their forts.’