English Revised Version

Hosea 8

1 SET the trumpet to thy mouth. As an eagle he cometh against the house of the LORD: because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.

2 They shall cry unto me, My God, we Israel know thee.

3 Israel hath cast off that which 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 He hath cast off thy calf, O Samaria; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?

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

7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: he hath no standing corn; the blade shall yield no meal; if so be it yield, strangers shall swallow it up.

8 Israel is swallowed up: now are they among the nations as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.

9 For they are gone up to Assyria, like a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.

10 Yea, though they hire among the nations, now will I gather them; and they begin to be minished by reason of the burden of the king of princes.

11 Because Ephraim hath multiplied altars to sin, altars have been unto him to sin.

12 Though I write for him my law in ten thousand precepts, they are counted as a strange thing.

13 As for the sacrifices of mine offerings, they sacrifice flesh 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 builded palaces; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the castles thereof.