The Prophet Hosea

⭑ Unlocked Dynamic Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 8 -

Yahweh says, “Get a trumpet and blow it. There are enemies swooping down over my people, as an eagle swoops down over a victim. This is because my people have left my covenant with them and have violated the law I gave them.

My people Israel cry out to me and say, ‘Our God, we are loyal to you!’

But the people of Israel have thrown away what is good, so their enemies will chase after them.

Israel has appointed kings for themselves, but they did not consult with me about it. They chose their own kings without asking me to approve them. They took their silver and gold and formed them into the idols they worshiped, but the people will perish as a result.”

The prophet says, “Yes, Yahweh has rejected your idol, you people of Samaria, an idol made in the form of a calf!” Yahweh says, “Perhaps these people will never again be innocent of evildoing. I am very angry with them!

The shame of it is that this idol came from Israel! A craftsman made it. It is only an idol; it cannot be the true and living God! I will ensure that someone will smash it to bits.

This is because these people do useless things, so something terrible will destroy them. Their grain standing in the fields will give no harvest. And even if it does, foreign soldiers will eat everything it produces.

Other nations have destroyed Israel’s power. Now Israel is like an old, broken pot that no one wants.

They asked the king of Assyria for help; they were like a wild donkey wandering off by itself. The people of Israel have tried to pay other nations to protect them.

Although they do this, I will soon gather them up to destroy them. They will begin to become poor because they will have to pay money to Assyria’s king.

The people of Ephraim have built many altars on which to offer sacrifices for their sins; however, these altars have become places where the people commit terrible sins against me.

Even if I wrote out for the people of Israel my laws ten thousand times, they would refuse to obey them. They would say they had never heard of them.

Let us think about the sacrifices that they give to me. They sacrifice the meat and then they eat it; but I, Yahweh, am not pleased with those sacrifices. I will think about their sins and will punish the people for them. I will make them go back to Egypt.

And why has this happened? The people of Israel have forgotten me, the God who made them a nation. Instead of honoring me, they have built huge homes to live in. And instead of worshiping Yahweh, the people of Judah have built walls around their cities for protection. So this is what I, Yahweh, will do: I will send a fire that will destroy all their palaces and all their fortified cities.”

“Put the trumpet to your lips! Something like an eagle is over the LORD’s house, because they have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law.

They cry to me, ‘My God, we, Israel, acknowledge you!’

Israel has cast off that which is good. The enemy will pursue him.

They have set up kings, but not by me. They have made princes, and I didn’t approve. Of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols, that they may be cut off.

Let Samaria throw out his calf idol! My anger burns against them! How long will it be until they are capable of purity?

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

For they sow the wind, and they will reap the whirlwind. He has no standing grain. The stalk will yield no head. If it does yield, strangers will swallow it up.

Israel is swallowed up. Now they are among the nations like a worthless thing.

For they have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has hired lovers for himself.

But although they sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them; and they begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of mighty ones.

Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they became for him altars for sinning.

I wrote for him the many things of my law, but they were regarded as a strange thing.

As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD doesn’t accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity, and punish their sins. They will return to Egypt.

For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire on his cities, and it will devour its fortresses.”