USB ~ Hosea 8

Corruption of Cult, Domestic and Foreign Politics

1 Put the trumpet to your lips! a One like an eagle† is over the house of the LORD! Because they have violated my covenant, and rebelled against my law,

2 They cry out to me, “My God! We know you!”

3 But Israel has rejected what is good; the enemy† shall pursue him.

4 † They made kings, but not by my authority; they established princes, but without my knowledge. With their silver and gold they made idols for themselves, to their own destruction.

5 He has rejected your calf,† Samaria! b My wrath is kindled against them; How long will they be incapable of innocence in Israel?

6 An artisan made it, it is no god at all. c The calf of Samaria will be dashed to pieces.

7 When they sow the wind, they will reap the whirlwind; d The stalk of grain that forms no head can yield no flour; Even if it could, strangers would swallow it.

8 Israel is swallowed up; now they are among the nations, like a useless vessel.

9 For they went up to Assyria—† a wild ass off on its own— Ephraim bargained for lovers. e

10 Even though they bargain with the nations, I will now gather them† together; They will soon succumb under the burden of king and princes.

11 † When Ephraim made many altars to expiate sin, they became altars for sinning.

12 Though I write for him my many instructions, they are considered like a stranger’s.

13 They love sacrifice, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD is not pleased with them. f Now he will remember their guilt and punish their sins; g they shall return to Egypt.† h

14 Israel has forgotten his makeri and has built palaces. Judah, too, has fortified many cities, but I will send fire upon his cities, to devour their strongholds. j

Footnotes

†. 8:1 Eagle: perhaps an image for Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria, who overran the land of Israel in 733 B.C. (Jer 48:40; 49:22; Ez 17:3).

†. 8:3 Enemy: Assyria.

†. 8:4 Hosea is not against the monarchy, but against the conspiracies at the royal court (see note on 7:3-7). The king should be chosen by God (1 Kgs 19:15-16).

†. 8:5 Calf: a cultic object introduced by Jeroboam I after the separation of the Northern Kingdom from the Southern Kingdom (1 Kgs 12:26-30; cf. Ex 32).

†. 8:9 They went up to Assyria: a reference to the politics of appealing to Assyria (cf. 5:13; 7:11). There is a play on the Hebrew word for “wild ass” (pere) and “Ephraim.”

†. 8:10 I will now gather them: for judgment and for deportation.

†. 8:11 The altars had become places of self-serving worship (cf. v. 13).

†. 8:13 Return to Egypt: to punish their violation of the covenant they will experience a reversal of the exodus.

8:1 Jl 2:1.
8:5 1 Kgs 12:28.
8:6 Ex 20:4; 34:17; Is 40:19-20; 44:9-20; Jer 10:1-16.
8:7 Jb 4:8; Prv 22:8; 2 Cor 9:6; Gal 6:7-8.
8:9 Ez 16:32-34.
8:13 Am 5:22.
8:13 Jer 14:10.
8:13 Dt 28:68.
8:14 Dt 32:15, 18; Is 51:13.
8:14 Am 1:7, 10, 12, 14; 2:2, 5.