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“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.”

The Apostasy of Israel

Set the [a]trumpet to your mouth!
He shall come (A)like an eagle against the house of the Lord,
Because they have transgressed My covenant
And rebelled against My law.
(B)Israel will cry to Me,
‘My God, (C)we know You!’
Israel has rejected the good;
The enemy will pursue him.

“They(D) set up kings, but not by Me;
They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them.
From their silver and gold
They made idols for themselves—
That they might be cut off.
Your [b]calf [c]is rejected, O Samaria!
My anger is aroused against them—
(E)How long until they attain to innocence?
For from Israel is even this:
A (F)workman made it, and it is not God;
But the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.

“They(G) sow the wind,
And reap the whirlwind.
The stalk has no bud;
It shall never produce meal.
If it should produce,
(H)Aliens would swallow it up.
(I)Israel is swallowed up;
Now they are among the Gentiles
(J)Like a vessel in which is no pleasure.
For they have gone up to Assyria,
Like (K)a wild donkey alone by itself;
Ephraim (L)has hired lovers.
10 Yes, though they have hired among the nations,
Now (M)I will gather them;
And they shall [d]sorrow a little,
Because of the [e]burden of (N)the king of princes.

11 “Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin,
They have become for him altars for sinning.
12 I have written for him (O)the great things of My law,
But they were considered a strange thing.
13 For the sacrifices of My offerings (P)they sacrifice flesh and eat it,
(Q)But the Lord does not accept them.
(R)Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.
They shall return to Egypt.

14 “For(S) Israel has forgotten (T)his Maker,
And has built [f]temples;
Judah also has multiplied (U)fortified cities;
But (V)I will send fire upon his cities,
And it shall devour his [g]palaces.”

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 8:1 ram’s horn, Heb. shophar
  2. Hosea 8:5 Golden calf image
  3. Hosea 8:5 Or has rejected you
  4. Hosea 8:10 Or begin to diminish
  5. Hosea 8:10 Or oracle or proclamation
  6. Hosea 8:14 Or palaces
  7. Hosea 8:14 Or citadels