4 They set up kings without my consent;

they choose princes without my approval.

With their silver and gold

they make idols for themselves

to their own destruction.

5 Samaria, throw out your calf-idol!

My anger burns against them.

How long will they be incapable of purity?

6 They are from Israel!

This calf—a metalworker has made it;

it is not God.

It will be broken in pieces,

that calf of Samaria.

7 “They sow the wind

and reap the whirlwind.

The stalk has no head;

it will produce no flour.

Were it to yield grain,

foreigners would swallow it up.

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 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 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 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.

4 The people have appointed kings without my consent,

and princes without my approval.

By making idols for themselves from their silver and gold,

they have brought about their own destruction.

5 “O Samaria, I reject this calf—

this idol you have made.

My fury burns against you.

How long will you be incapable of innocence?

6 This calf you worship, O Israel,

was crafted by your own hands!

It is not God!

Therefore, it must be smashed to bits.

7 “They have planted the wind

and will harvest the whirlwind.

The stalks of grain wither

and produce nothing to eat.

And even if there is any grain,

foreigners will eat it.

4 “They 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.

5 Your calf is rejected, O Samaria!

My anger is aroused against them—

How long until they attain to innocence?

6 For from Israel is even this:

A workman made it, and it is not God;

But the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.

7 “They sow the wind,

And reap the whirlwind.

The stalk has no bud;

It shall never produce meal.

If it should produce,

Aliens would swallow it up.

4 They chose their own kings

without asking my permission.

They chose their own leaders,

people I did not know.

They made their silver and gold into idols,

and for all this they will be destroyed.

5 I hate the calf-shaped idol of Israel!

I am very angry with the people.

How long will they remain unclean?

6 The idol is something a craftsman made;

it is not God.

Israel’s calf-shaped idol

will surely be smashed to pieces.

7 “Israel’s foolish plans are like planting the wind,

but they will harvest a storm.

Like a stalk with no head of grain,

it produces nothing.

Even if it produced something,

other nations would eat it.

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 He hath cast off thy calf, O Samaria; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency? 6 For from Israel is even this; the workman made it, and it is no God; yea, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces. 7 For 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.

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 Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will they be incapable of purity? 6 For from Israel is this also: —a workman made it, and it is no God: for the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces. 7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk; should it sprout, it would yield no meal; if so be it yield, strangers shall swallow it up.

4 “They chose their own kings, kings I didn’t approve. 

They chose their own princes, princes I didn’t know. 

They chose to make idols with their own silver and gold. 

Because of this, they will be destroyed. 

5 Get rid of your calf-shaped idol, Samaria. 

My anger burns against these people. 

How long will they remain unclean?

6 Samaria’s calf-shaped idol was made in Israel. 

Skilled workers made it. 

It is not a god. 

It will be smashed to pieces. 

7 “The people of Israel plant the wind, but they harvest a storm. 

A field of grain that doesn’t ripen will never produce any grain. 

Even if it did produce grain, foreigners would eat it all. 

4 They 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.

5 Your calf-idol is rejected, Samaria.

My anger burns against them.

How long will they be incapable of innocence?

6 For this thing is from Israel—

a craftsman made it, and it is not God.

The calf of Samaria will be smashed to bits!

7 Indeed, 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.

4 They made kings, but not through me;

they set up princes, but without my knowledge.

With their silver and gold they made idols

for their own destruction.

5 Your calf is rejected, O Samaria.

My anger burns against them.

How long will they be incapable of innocence?

6 For it is from Israel,

an artisan made it;

it is not God.

The calf of Samaria

shall be broken to pieces.

7 For they sow the wind,

and they shall reap the whirlwind.

The standing grain has no heads,

it shall yield no meal;

if it were to yield,

foreigners would devour it.

4 They appointed kings, but not through me;

they made officials, but without my knowledge.

With their silver and gold

they made idols for themselves

for their own destruction.

5 Your calf is rejected, O Samaria;

my anger burns against them.

How long will they be incapable of innocence?

6 Because it is from Israel,

an artisan made it,

it is not a god;

for the calf of Samaria

will be broken to pieces.

7 Because they sow the wind,

they will reap the whirlwind.

The standing grain does not have heads;

it will not yield flour.

And if it would yield,

strangers would devour it.

4 My people appoint kings I do not want.

They choose princes without my permission.

They use their silver and gold

to make statues of gods.

That is how they destroy themselves.”

5 The Lord says, “People of Samaria,

throw out your god that looks like a calf!

My anger burns against you.

How long will it be until you are able

to remain faithful to me?

6 Your calf is not God.

A skilled worker from Israel made it.

But it will be broken to pieces.”

7 The Lord says,

“Worshiping other gods is like worshiping the wind.

It is like planting worthless seeds.

Assyria is like a windstorm.

That is all my people will harvest.

There are no heads of grain

on the stems that will come up.

So they will not produce any flour.

Even if they did produce grain,

the Assyrians would eat all of it up.

4 They have set up kings, but not by Me;

They have appointed princes, but I did not know it.

With their silver and gold they have made idols for themselves,

That they might be cut off.

5 He has rejected your calf, O Samaria, saying,

“My anger burns against them!”

How long will they be incapable of innocence?

6 For from Israel is even this!

A craftsman made it, so it is not God;

Surely the calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces.

7 For they sow the wind

And they reap the whirlwind.

The standing grain has no heads;

It yields no grain.

Should it yield, strangers would swallow it up.