耶和华指责以色列人拜偶像

“吹响号角警告众人吧!
敌人要如鹰扑向耶和华的家,
因为百姓背弃我的约,
违背我的律法。
他们要向我呼求,
‘我们的上帝啊,
我们以色列人认识你了。’
以色列已经弃绝良善,
所以敌人要追赶他。
他们拥立君王,未经我的同意;
选立首领,没有让我知道。
他们用金银为自己制造神像,自取灭亡。
我鄙弃撒玛利亚人所拜的牛犊,
我要向他们发怒,
他们到什么时候才能洁身自守呢?
这牛犊是以色列的工匠造的,
并不是神,必被砸得粉碎。
他们种的是风,
收的是暴风。
他们的庄稼长不出穗子,
结不出籽粒,
就是有收成,
也要被外族人吃掉。
以色列被吞灭了,
他在列国之中,
就像无用的破器皿。
他们投奔亚述,
就像孤独漂泊的野驴。
以法莲收买情人。
10 尽管他们在各国贿买盟友,
如今我却要把他们聚集起来,审判他们。
他们必因君王和首领的欺压而日渐衰微。

11 “以法莲增建除罪的祭坛,
这些祭坛却成为他的犯罪之处。
12 我为他写下千万条的律法,
他却视若无睹。
13 他们献给我祭牲,并吃祭肉,
但不蒙耶和华的悦纳。
我必记住他们的罪恶,
追讨他们的罪债,
使他们回到埃及。
14 以色列忘记了他们的创造主,
建造许多宫殿;
犹大兴建许多坚城。
但我要降火烧毁他们的城邑和堡垒。”

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.

Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.

Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.

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.

Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?

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.

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.

Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.

For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.

10 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 Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.

12 I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.

13 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 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.

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