1 The destruction of Judah and Israel, because of their idolatry.

Set the trumpet to thy [a]mouth: he shall come as an eagle against the House of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my Law.

Israel shall [b]cry unto me, My God, we know thee.

Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.

They have set up a [c]king, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols: therefore shall they be destroyed.

Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off: mine anger is kindled against them: how long will they be without [d]innocency!

[e]For it came even from Israel: the workman made it, therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

For they have [f]sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall bring forth no meal: if so be it brought forth, the strangers shall devour it.

Israel is devoured, now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.

For they are gone up to Assyria: they are as a [g]wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.

10 Yet though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them and they shall sorrow a little for the [h]burden of the king and the princes.

11 Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, his altars shall be to sin.

12 I have written to them the great things of my Law: but they were counted as a [i]strange thing.

13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it: but the [j]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 increased strong cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 8:1 God encourageth the Prophet to signify the speedy coming of the enemy against Israel, which was once the people of God.
  2. Hosea 8:2 They shall cry like hypocrites, but not from the heart, as their deeds declare.
  3. Hosea 8:4 That is, Jeroboam by whom they sought their own liberty, and not to obey my will.
  4. Hosea 8:5 That is, upright judgment and godly life.
  5. Hosea 8:6 Meaning, the calf was invented by themselves, and of their fathers in the wilderness.
  6. Hosea 8:7 Showing that their religion hath but a show, and in itself is but vanity.
  7. Hosea 8:9 They never cease, but run to and fro to seek help.
  8. Hosea 8:10 That is, for the king and the princes shall lay upon them: which means the Lord useth to bring them to repentance.
  9. Hosea 8:12 Thus the idolaters count the word of God as strange in respect of their own inventions.
  10. Hosea 8:13 Saying that they offer it to the Lord, but he accepteth no service, which he himself hath not appointed.

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