Hosea 8
Israel’s False Hopes
1Put the ram’s horn to your mouth! One like an eagle comes against the house of the Lord, because they transgress my covenant and rebel against my law.23Israel cries out to me, “My God, we know you!”4
5Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue him.6
7They have installed kings, but not through me. They have appointed leaders, but without my approval. They make their silver and gold into idols for themselves for their own destruction.8
9Your calf-idol is rejected, Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?10
11For this thing is from Israel — a craftsman made it, and it is not God. The calf of Samaria will be smashed to bits!12
13Indeed, they sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. There is no standing grain; what sprouts fails to yield flour. Even if they did, foreigners would swallow it up.14
15Israel is swallowed up! Now they are among the nations like discarded pottery.16
17For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey going off on its own. Ephraim has paid for love.18
19Even though they hire lovers among the nations, I will now round them up, and they will begin to decrease in number under the burden of the king and leaders.20
21When Ephraim multiplied his altars for sin, they became his altars for sinning.22
23Though I were to write out for him ten thousand points of my instruction, they would be regarded as something strange.24
25Though they offer sacrificial gifts and eat the flesh, the Lord does not accept them. Now he will remember their guilt and punish their sins; they will return to Egypt.26
27Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; Judah has also multiplied fortified cities. I will send fire on their cities, and it will consume their citadels.28