1 ` Unto thy mouth -- a trumpet, As an eagle against the house of Jehovah, Because they transgressed My covenant, And against My law they have rebelled.

“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 o Me they cry, `My God, we -- Israel -- have known Thee.'

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

3 C ast off good hath Israel, an enemy pursueth him.

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

4 T hey have made kings, and not by Me, They have made princes, and I have not known, Their silver and their gold they have made to them idols, So that they are cut off.

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 C ast off hath thy calf, O Samaria, Burned hath Mine anger against them, Till when are they not capable of 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 even it of Israel; an artificer made it, And it not God, For the calf of Samaria is fragments!

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

7 F or wind they sow, and a hurricane they reap, Stalk it hath none -- a shoot not yielding grain, If so be it yield -- strangers do swallow 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 hath been swallowed up, Now they have been among nations, As a vessel in which is no delight.

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

9 F or they -- they have gone up Asshur, A wild ass alone by himself Ephraim, They have hired lovers!

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

10 A lso though they hire among nations, Now I gather them, and they are pained a little, From the burden of a 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 B ecause Ephraim did multiply altars to sin, They have been to him altars to sin.

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

12 I write for him numerous things of My law, As a strange thing they have been reckoned.

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

13 T he sacrifices of Mine offerings! They sacrifice flesh, and they eat, Jehovah hath not accepted them, Now doth He remember their iniquity, And inspect their sin, They -- Egypt they turn back.

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 A nd forget doth Israel his Maker, and buildeth temples, And Judah hath multiplied cities of defence, And I have sent a fire into his cities, And it hath consumed their palaces!

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.”