Hoshea 8

1. Set the shofar to thy lips. He [the Assyrian enemy] shall come as a nesher against the Bais Hashem, because they have transgressed My brit (covenant), and committed pesha against My torah.

2. Yisroel shall cry unto Me, Elohai, we know Thee. We, Yisroel!

3. Yisroel hath cast off the thing that is tov; the oyev (enemy) shall pursue him.

4. They have set up melachim, but not from Me; they have made sarim (princes), and I knew it not; of their kesef and their zahav have they made them atzabim (idols), that they may be cut off.

5. Thy egel (calf-idol), O Shomron, I am casting off; Mine anger is kindled against them; how long will they be incapable of nikkayon (innocency, freedom from punishment)?

6. They are from Yisroel! The craftsman made it; therefore it is not Elohim; but the egel of Shomron shall be broken in pieces.

7. For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind; the stalk [of standing grain] hath no tzemach (shoot); it shall yield no kemach (flour); and even if it yielded it, zarim would devour it.

8. Yisroel is swallowed up; now shall they be among the Goyim like a worthless keli (vessel).

9. For they are gone up to Assyria, a pere (wild donkey) off by itself alone; Ephrayim hath sold herself to ahavim (lovers).

10. Yea, though they have bargained among the Goyim, now will I gather them, and they shall begin to diminish on account of the massa (burden) of Melech Sarim.

11. Because Ephrayim hath built many mizbechot for sin, mizbechot shall be unto him to sin.

12. I have written to him the many things of My torah, but they were regarded as a zar (strange thing).

13. They sacrifice basar for the sacrifices of Mine offerings, and eat it; but Hashem accepteth them not; now will He remember their avon (iniquity), and visit punishment on their sins; they shall return to Mitzrayim.

14. For Yisroel hath forgotten His Maker, and buildeth heikhalot; and Yehudah hath multiplied fortified towns; but I will send eish upon his towns, and it shall devour the citadels thereof.