Add parallel Print Page Options

“Put the trumpet to your lips!

    Something like an eagle is over Yahweh’s house,
    because they have broken my covenant,
    and rebelled against my law.
They cry to me, ‘My God, we Israel acknowledge you!’
    Israel has cast off that which is good.
    The enemy will pursue him.
They have set up kings, but not by me.
    They have made princes, and I didn’t approve.
    Of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols,
    that they may be cut off.
Let Samaria throw out his calf idol!
    My anger burns against them!
    How long will it be until they are capable of purity?
For this is even from Israel!
    The workman made it, and it is no God;
    indeed, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
For they sow the wind,
    and they will reap the whirlwind.
He has no standing grain.
    The stalk will yield no head.
    If it does yield, strangers will swallow it up.
Israel is swallowed up.
    Now they are among the nations like a worthless thing.
For they have gone up to Assyria,
    like a wild donkey wandering alone.
    Ephraim has hired lovers for himself.
10 But although they sold themselves among the nations,
    I will now gather them;
    and they begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of mighty ones.
11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning,
    they became for him altars for sinning.
12 I wrote for him the many things of my law;
    but they were regarded as a strange thing.
13 As for the sacrifices of my offerings,
    they sacrifice meat and eat it;
    But Yahweh doesn’t accept them.
Now he will remember their iniquity,
    and punish their sins.
    They will return to Egypt.
14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces;
    and Judah has multiplied fortified cities;
    but I will send a fire on his cities,
    and it will devour its fortresses.”

Israel Will Reap the Whirlwind

Set (A)the trumpet to your lips!
    One (B)like a vulture is over the house of the Lord,
because (C)they have transgressed my covenant
    and rebelled against my law.
To me they cry,
    (D)“My God, we—Israel—know you.”
Israel has spurned the good;
    the enemy shall pursue him.

(E)They made kings, (F)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.
(G)I have[a] spurned your calf, O Samaria.
    My anger burns against them.
(H)How long will they be incapable of innocence?
For it is from Israel;
a craftsman made it;
    it is not God.
(I)The calf of Samaria
    (J)shall be broken to pieces.[b]

For (K)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,
    (L)strangers would devour it.
(M)Israel is swallowed up;
    already they are among the nations
    as (N)a useless vessel.
For (O)they have gone up to Assyria,
    (P)a wild donkey wandering alone;
    Ephraim has hired lovers.
10 Though they hire allies among the nations,
    I will soon gather them up.
And (Q)the king and princes (R)shall soon writhe
    because of the tribute.

11 Because Ephraim (S)has multiplied altars for sinning,
    they have become to him altars for sinning.
12 (T)Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands,
    they would be regarded as a strange thing.
13 As for my sacrificial offerings,
    (U)they sacrifice meat and eat it,
    but the Lord does not accept them.
(V)Now he will remember their iniquity
    and punish their sins;
    (W)they shall return to Egypt.
14 For (X)Israel has forgotten (Y)his Maker
    and (Z)built palaces,
and (AA)Judah has multiplied fortified cities;
    so (AB)I will send a fire upon his cities,
    and it shall devour her strongholds.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 8:5 Hebrew He has
  2. Hosea 8:6 Or shall go up in flames