Hosea chapter 8
English Standard Version
1Set the trumpet to your lips! One like a vulture is over the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law. 2To me they cry, "My God, we — Israel — know you." 3Israel has spurned the good; the enemy shall pursue him. 4 They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction. 5 I have spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence? 6For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces. 7For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it. 8 Israel is swallowed up; already they are among the nations as a useless vessel. 9For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has hired lovers. 10Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And the king and princes shall soon writhe because of the tribute. 11Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning. 12 Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing. 13As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the Lord does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt. 14For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; so I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds.
New International Version
1"Put the trumpet to your lips! An eagle is over the house of the Lord because the people have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law. 2Israel cries out to me, ‘Our God, we acknowledge you!’ 3But Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue him. 4They 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. 5Samaria, throw out your calf-idol! My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of purity?
6They 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. 8Israel is swallowed up; now she is among the nations like something no one wants. 9For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has sold herself to lovers.
10Although they have sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them together. They will begin to waste away under the oppression of the mighty king. 11"Though Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings, these have become altars for sinning. 12I wrote for them the many things of my law, but they regarded them as something foreign. 13Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to me, and though they eat the meat, the Lord is not pleased with them. Now he will remember their wickedness and punish their sins: They will return to Egypt. 14Israel has forgotten their Maker and built palaces; Judah has fortified many towns. But I will send fire on their cities that will consume their fortresses."
New American Standard Bible
1 Put the trumpet to your lips! Like an eagle the enemy comes against the house of the Lord, Because they have violated My covenant And rebelled against My Law. 2They cry out to Me, 'My God, we of Israel know You!' 3Israel has rejected the good; The enemy will pursue him. 4They have set up kings, but not by Me; They have appointed officials, but I did not know it. With their silver and gold they have made idols for themselves, So that they will be eliminated. 5 He has rejected your calf, Samaria, saying, 'My anger burns against them!' How long will they be incapable of innocence? 6For from Israel comes even this! A craftsman made it, so it is not God; Assuredly, the calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces. 7For they sow wind And they harvest a storm. The standing grain has no kernels; It yields no grain. If it were to yield, strangers would swallow it. 8Israel has been swallowed up; They are now among the nations Like a vessel in which no one delights. 9For they have gone up to Assyria, Like a wild donkey all alone; Ephraim has paid fees for lovers. 10Even though they pay for allies among the nations, I will gather them up now; And they will begin to diminish Because of the burden of the king of officials. 11Since Ephraim has multiplied altars for sin, They have become altars of sinning for him. 12Though I wrote for him ten thousand precepts of My Law, They are regarded as a strange thing. 13As for My sacrificial gifts, They sacrifice the flesh and eat it, But the Lord has taken no delight in them. Now He will remember their guilt, And punish them for their sins; They will return to Egypt. 14For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; And Judah has multiplied fortified cities, But I will send a fire on its cities, and it will consume its palatial buildings.
Christian Standard Bible
1Put the 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. 2Israel cries out to me, "My God, we know you!"
3Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue him. 4They 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. 5Your calf-idol is rejected, Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?
6For this thing is from Israel— a craftsman made it, and it is not God. The calf of Samaria will be smashed to bits! 7Indeed, 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. 8Israel is swallowed up! Now they are among the nations like discarded pottery. 9For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey going off on its own. Ephraim has paid for love. 10Even 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. 11When Ephraim multiplied his altars for sin, they became his altars for sinning. 12Though I were to write out for him ten thousand points of my instruction, they would be regarded as something strange. 13Though 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. 14Israel 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.
New Living Translation
1'Sound the alarm! The enemy descends like an eagle on the people of the Lord, for they have broken my covenant and revolted against my law. 2Now Israel pleads with me, ‘Help us, for you are our God!’ 3But it is too late. The people of Israel have rejected what is good, and now their enemies will chase after them. 4The 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? 6This 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. 8The people of Israel have been swallowed up; they lie among the nations like an old discarded pot. 9Like a wild donkey looking for a mate, they have gone up to Assyria. The people of Israel have sold themselves — sold themselves to many lovers. 10But though they have sold themselves to many allies, I will now gather them together for judgment. Then they will writhe under the burden of the great king.
11'Israel has built many altars to take away sin, but these very altars became places for sinning! 12Even though I gave them all my laws, they act as if those laws don’t apply to them. 13The people love to offer sacrifices to me, feasting on the meat, but I do not accept their sacrifices. I will hold my people accountable for their sins, and I will punish them. They will return to Egypt. 14Israel has forgotten its Maker and built great palaces, and Judah has fortified its cities. Therefore, I will send down fire on their cities and will burn up their fortresses.'
King James Version
3Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him. 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.
6For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces. 7For 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.
8Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure. 9For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.
New King James Version
1“ Set the trumpet to your mouth! He shall come like an eagle against the house of the Lord, Because they have transgressed My covenant And rebelled against My law. 2 Israel will cry to Me, ‘My God, we know You!’ 3Israel has rejected the good; The enemy will pursue him. 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. 5Your calf is rejected, O Samaria! My anger is aroused against them— How long until they attain to innocence? 6For 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. 8 Israel is swallowed up; Now they are among the Gentiles Like a vessel in which is no pleasure. 9For they have gone up to Assyria, Like a wild donkey alone by itself; Ephraim has hired lovers. 10Yes, though they have hired among the nations, Now I will gather them; And they shall sorrow a little, Because of the burden of the king of princes. 11“Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin, They have become for him altars for sinning. 12I have written for him the great things of My law, But they were considered a strange thing. 13 For the sacrifices of My offerings they sacrifice flesh and eat it, But the Lord does not accept them. Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins. They shall return to Egypt. 14“For Israel has forgotten his Maker, And has built temples; Judah also has multiplied fortified cities; But I will send fire upon his cities, And it shall devour his palaces.”