Hosea, 8
1. Put the trumpet to your lips! Like an eagle, disaster is swooping on Yahweh's home! Because they have violated my covenant and been unfaithful to my Law,
1. [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.
2. in vain will they cry, 'My God!' In vain, 'We, Israel, know you!'
2. Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.
3. Israel has rejected the good, the enemy will pursue them.
3. Israel hath cast off [the thing that is] good: the enemy shall pursue him.
4. They have set up kings, but without my consent, and appointed princes, but without my knowledge. With their silver and gold, they have made themselves idols, but only to be destroyed.
4. 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.
5. I spurn your calf, Samaria! My anger blazes against them! How long will it be before they recover their innocence?
5. Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast [thee] off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long [will it be] ere they attain to innocency?
6. For it is the product of Israel- a craftsman made the thing, it is no god at all! The calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces!
6. 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.
7. Since they sow the wind, they will reap the whirlwind; stalk without ear, it will never yield flour- or if it does, foreigners will swallow it.
7. 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.
8. Israel has himself been swallowed; now they are lost among the nations like something no one wants,
8. Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein [is] no pleasure.
9. for having made approaches to Assyria- like a wild donkey, all alone. Ephraim has rented lovers
9. For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.
10. and because he has rented them from the nations I am now going to round them up; soon they will feel the weight of the king of princes!
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. Ephraim keeps building altars for his sins, these very altars are themselves a sin.
11. Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.
12. However much of my Law I write for him, Ephraim regards it as alien to him.
12. I have written to him the great things of my law, [but] they were counted as a strange thing.
13. They offer sacrifices to me and eat the meat, they do not win Yahweh's favour. On the contrary, he will remember their guilt and punish their sins; they will have to go back to Egypt.
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. Israel has forgotten his Maker and has built palaces, while Judah keeps on building fortified towns; but I shall send fire down on his cities to devour their citadels.
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.