Hosea 8
Amplified Bible
Israel Reaps the Whirlwind
8 Set the trumpet to your lips [announcing impending judgment]!
Like a [great] vulture the enemy comes against the house of the Lord,
Because they have broken My covenant
And transgressed and rebelled against My law.
2
Then they will cry out to Me,
“My God, we of Israel know You!”
3
Israel has rejected the good;
The enemy shall pursue him.
4
They set up kings, but not from Me [therefore without My blessing];
They have appointed princes, but I did not know it.
With their silver and their gold they made idols for themselves,
That they might be cut off.
5
He has rejected your [pagan] calf, O Samaria, saying,
“My wrath burns against them.”
How long will they be incapable of innocence?
6
For even this [loathsome calf] is from Israel.
A craftsman made it, so it is not God;
Surely the calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces and go up in flames.
7
For they sow the wind [in evil]
And they reap the whirlwind [in disaster].
The standing grain has no growth;
It yields no grain.
If it were to yield, strangers would swallow it up.
8
Israel is [as if] swallowed up [by enemies];
They are now among the nations
Like a vessel [of cheap, coarse pottery] that is useless.
9
For they have gone up to Assyria,
Like a wild donkey wandering alone and taking her own way;
Ephraim has hired lovers (pagan allies).
10
Yes, even though [with presents] they hire allies among the nations,
Now I will gather them up;
And [in a little while] they will begin [a]to grow weak and diminish
Because of the burden imposed by the king of princes [the king of Assyria].
11
For Ephraim has constructed many altars for sin;
They are altars intended for sinning [which multiply his guilt].
12
I wrote for him the ten thousand precepts of My law,
But they are regarded as a strange thing [which does not concern him].
13
As for My sacrificial offerings,
They sacrifice the meat [as a mere formality] and eat it,
But the Lord is not pleased with them and does not accept them.
Now He will remember and take into account their wickedness and guilt,
And punish them for their sins.
They will return [in captivity] to [another] Egypt [that is, Assyria].(A)
14
For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces [and pagan temples],
And Judah has built many fortified cities;
But I will send a fire upon their cities so that it may consume their palaces and fortresses.(B)
Footnotes
- Hosea 8:10 Lit to be small.
Hosea 8
New American Standard Bible
Israel Reaps the Whirlwind
8 (A)Put the trumpet to your [a]lips!
(B)Like an eagle the enemy comes (C)against the house of the Lord,
Because they have (D)violated My covenant
And rebelled against My (E)Law.
2 (F)They cry out to Me,
“My God, (G)we of Israel know You!”
3 Israel has rejected the good;
The enemy will pursue him.
4 (H)They have set up kings, but not by Me;
They have appointed officials, but I did not know it.
With their (I)silver and gold they have made idols for themselves,
So that [b]they will be eliminated.
5 [c]He has rejected your (J)calf, Samaria, saying,
“My anger burns against them!”
How long will they be incapable of (K)innocence?
6 For from Israel comes even this!
A (L)craftsman made it, so it is not God;
Assuredly, the calf of Samaria will be broken to [d]pieces.
7 For (M)they sow wind
And they harvest a (N)storm.
The standing grain has no [e]kernels;
It yields (O)no [f]grain.
If it were to yield, strangers would swallow it.
8 Israel has been (P)swallowed up;
They are now among the nations
Like a (Q)vessel in which no one delights.
9 For they have gone up to (R)Assyria,
Like (S)a wild donkey all alone;
Ephraim has (T)paid fees for [g]lovers.
10 Even though they [h]pay for allies among the nations,
I will (U)gather them up now;
And they will begin (V)to diminish
Because of the burden of the (W)king of officials.
11 Since Ephraim has (X)multiplied altars for sin,
They have become altars of sinning for him.
12 Though (Y)I wrote for him ten thousand precepts of My (Z)Law,
They are regarded as a strange thing.
13 As for My (AA)sacrificial gifts,
They (AB)sacrifice the flesh and eat it,
But the Lord has taken no delight in them.
Now He will (AC)remember their guilt,
And (AD)punish them for their sins;
They will return to (AE)Egypt.
14 For Israel has (AF)forgotten his Maker and (AG)built palaces;
And Judah has multiplied fortified cities,
But I will send a (AH)fire on its cities, and it will consume its palatial buildings.
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