Hosea 8

The Rebuke of Israel’s Idolatry
1	Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
2	Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.
3	Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
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.
8	Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.
9	For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: E’phra-im hath hired lovers.
10	Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.
11	¶ Because E’phra-im hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.
12	I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.
13	They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.
14	For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

Published by The American Bible Society

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