Hosea 8

1Setthe trumpet to thy mouth. As an eagle he cometh against the house of Jehovah, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.

1Put the trumpet to your lips! An enemy comes like an eagle against the house of the LORD, because the people have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law.

2They shall cry unto me, My God, we Israel know thee.

2They cry out to me, "My God, we in Israel know you!"

3Israel hath cast off that which is good: the enemy shall pursue him.

3Israel has rejected what is good, so an enemy will hunt them down.

4They 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.

4They appointed kings without asking me; they chose leaders without my approval. They used their silver and gold to make idols for themselves, which will lead to their destruction.

5He hath cast off thy calf, O Samaria; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?

5I have rejected your calf-idol, O Samaria! My anger burns against them. How long will they be unable to stay pure?

6For from Israel is even this; the workman made it, and it is no God; yea, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

6This idol came from Israel; a craftsman made it, and it is not God. The calf-idol of Samaria will be smashed into pieces.

7For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: he hath no standing grain; the blade shall yield no meal; if so be it yield, strangers shall swallow it up.

7They sow the wind and they will reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads and will produce no flour; even if it did, foreigners would swallow it up.

8Israel is swallowed up: now are they among the nations as a vessel wherein none delighteth.

8Israel is swallowed up; now they are among the nations like a piece of pottery that no one wants.

9For they are gone up to Assyria, like a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.

9For they have gone up to Assyria like a lonely wild donkey; Ephraim has paid for lovers.

10Yea, though they hire among the nations, now will I gather them; and they begin to be diminished by reason of the burden of the king of princes.

10Even though they hire allies among the nations, I will now gather them for judgment. They will begin to waste away under the heavy burden of the great king.

11Because Ephraim hath multiplied altars for sinning, altars have been unto him for sinning.

11Since Ephraim has built many altars for sin offerings, these very altars have become places for sinning.

12I wrote for him the ten thousand things of my law; but they are counted as a strange thing.

12I wrote out many laws for them, but they think of my teachings as something strange that doesn't apply to them.

13As for the sacrifices of mine offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it; but Jehovah accepteth them not: now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins; they shall return to Egypt.

13They offer meat as sacrifices to me and eat it, but the LORD is not pleased with them. Now he will remember their guilt and punish their sins; they will return to Egypt.

14For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and builded palaces; and Judah hath multiplied fortified cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the castles thereof.

14Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has built many fortified cities. But I will send fire on their cities to burn up their fortresses.