Israel’s False Hopes
1Put the horn to your mouth! q
One like an eagle comes
against the house of the LORD, r
because they transgress my covenant s
and rebel against my law. t
2 Israel cries out to me, u
“My God, we know you! ”
3 Israel has rejected what is good; v
an enemy will pursue him.
4 They have installed kings, w
but not through me.
They have appointed leaders,
but without my approval.
They make their silver and gold x
into idols for themselves
for their own destruction. N
5 Your calf-idol O,y is rejected, Samaria. z
My anger burns against them.
How long will they be incapable of innocence? a
6 For this thing is from Israel—
a craftsman made it, b and it is not God.
The calf of Samaria will be smashed to bits!
7 Indeed, they sow the wind c
and reap the whirlwind. d
There is no standing grain;
what sprouts fails to yield flour. e
Even if they did,
foreigners would swallow it up.
8 Israel is swallowed up! f
Now they are among the nations
like discarded pottery. g
9 For they have gone up to Assyria h
like a wild donkey going off on its own.
Ephraim has paid for love. i
10 Even though they hire lovers among the nations,
I will now round them up,
and they will begin to decrease in number j
under the burden of the king and leaders. k
11 When Ephraim multiplied his altars for sin, l
they became his altars for sinning.
12 Though I were to write out for him
ten thousand points of my instruction, m
they would be P regarded as something strange.
13 Though they offer sacrificial gifts Q,n
and eat the flesh, o
the LORD does not accept them.
Now he will remember their guilt p
and punish their sins; q
they will return to Egypt. r
14 Israel has forgotten his Maker s and built palaces; t
Judah has also multiplied fortified cities.
I will send fire on their cities, u
and it will consume their citadels.