Hosea 8

Israel to Reap the Whirlwind

“Put the trumpet^a to your lips!

An eagle^b is over the house of the Lord

because the people have broken my covenant^c

and rebelled against my law.^d

Israel cries out to me,

‘Our God, we acknowledge you!’

But Israel has rejected what is good;

an enemy will pursue him.^e

They set up kings without my consent;

they choose princes without my approval.^f

With their silver and gold

they make idols^g for themselves

to their own destruction.

Throw out your calf-idol, Samaria!^h

My anger burns against them.

How long will they be incapable of purity?ⁱ

They are from Israel!

This calf—a metalworker has made it;

it is not God.^j

It will be broken in pieces,

that calf^k of Samaria.^l

“They sow the wind

and reap the whirlwind.^m

The stalk has no head;

it will produce no flour.ⁿ

Were it to yield grain,

foreigners would swallow it up.^o

Israel is swallowed up;^p

now she is among the nations

like something no one wants.^q

For they have gone up to Assyria^r

like a wild donkey^s wandering alone.

Ephraim has sold herself to lovers.^t

Although they have sold themselves among the nations,

I will now gather them together.^u

They will begin to waste away^v

under the oppression of the mighty king.

“Though Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings,

these have become altars for sinning.^w

I wrote for them the many things of my law,

but they regarded them as something foreign.^x

Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to me,

and though they eat^y the meat,

the Lord is not pleased with them.^z

Now he will remember^a their wickedness

and punish their sins:^b

They will return to Egypt.^c

Israel has forgotten^d his Maker^e

and built palaces;

Judah has fortified many towns.

But I will send fire on their cities

that will consume their fortresses.”^f