1 S et the trumpet to your lips! comes as a vulture against the house of the Lord, because they have broken My covenant and transgressed against My law.

“Put the horn to your lips! Men who hate us are coming like an eagle to fight against the house of the Lord, because the people of Israel have sinned against My agreement and would not obey My Law.

2 T hen they will cry to Me, My God, we know You!

They cry out to Me, ‘My God, we of Israel know You!’

3 I srael has rejected the good; the enemy shall pursue him.

Israel has turned away from the good, and those who hate him will come after him.

4 T hey set up kings, but not from Me; they have made princes or removed them, I knew and recognized not. With their silver and their gold they made idols for themselves, that they may be destroyed.

They have set up kings, but not by Me. They have chosen leaders, but I did not know it. They have made false gods for themselves out of silver and gold, so they will be destroyed.

5 Y our calf, O Samaria, is loathsome and I have spurned it. My wrath burns against them. How long will it be before they attain purity?

O Samaria, I will have nothing to do with the calf you worship. My anger burns against them! How long will it be before they are pure

6 F or this too is from Israel; a craftsman made it; therefore it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to shivers and go up in flames.

in Israel? A workman made this calf, so it is not God. The calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces.

7 F or they sow the wind and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no meal; if it were to yield, strangers and aliens would eat it up.

They plant the wind and they will gather the storm. The standing grain has no heads, and will give no food. If it were to give food, strangers would eat it.

8 I srael is swallowed up. Already they have become among the nations as a vessel that is useless.

“Israel is eaten up. They are now among the nations like a pot that is of no worth.

9 F or they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass taking her own way by herself; Ephraim has hired lovers.

They have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey all alone. Ephraim has hired lovers.

10 Y es, though with presents they hire among the nations, now will I gather them up, and in a little while they will sorrow and begin to diminish because of the burden (tribute) imposed by the king of princes.

Even when they hire people among the nations to help them, I will now gather them together. And they will begin to waste away because the powerful king will make it hard for them.

11 F or Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning; yes, to him altars are intended for sinning.

“Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin gifts, they have become altars for sinning.

12 I wrote for him the ten thousand things of My law, but they are counted as a strange thing.

I wrote 10, 000 of My Laws for him, but they think of them as something strange.

13 M y sacrificial gifts they sacrifice; yes, they sacrifice flesh and eat it, but the Lord does not accept them. Now He will remember their guilt and iniquity and will punish their sins. They shall return to Egypt.

They give gifts to Me and eat the meat of the gifts, but the Lord is not pleased with them. Now He will remember their wrong-doing and punish them for their sins. They will return to Egypt.

14 F or Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces and idol temples, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire upon his cities and it shall devour his palaces and fortified buildings.

Israel has forgotten his Maker and built great houses. And Judah has built many strong cities ready for battle. But I will send a fire upon its cities that will destroy its beautiful houses.”