Overview
Through a series of prophetic indictments, Hosea charges Israel with covenant betrayal on every front: choosing kings and fashioning idols by their own devices, pursuing futile alliances with foreign powers, multiplying altars while rejecting the Torah, and erecting palaces and fortified cities in forgetfulness of the God who made them — all of which together draw the verdict that such a people will reap whirlwind and ruin in proportion to their disordered choices.
Passages
Study Resources
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Hosea 8
1“Put the trumpet to your lips! Something like an eagle is over Yahweh’s house, because they have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law.
2They cry to me, ‘My God, we, Israel, acknowledge you!’
3Israel has cast off that which is good. The enemy will pursue him.
4They have set up kings, but not by me. They have made princes, and I didn’t approve. Of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols, that they may be cut off.
5Let Samaria throw out his calf idol! My anger burns against them! How long will it be until they are capable of purity?
6For this is even from Israel! The workman made it, and it is no God; indeed, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
7For they sow the wind, and they will reap the whirlwind. He has no standing grain. The stalk will yield no head. If it does yield, strangers will swallow it up.
8Israel is swallowed up. Now they are among the nations like a worthless thing.
9For they have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has hired lovers for himself.
10But although they sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them; and they begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of mighty ones.
11Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they became for him altars for sinning.
12I wrote for him the many things of my law, but they were regarded as a strange thing.
13As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but Yahweh doesn’t accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity, and punish their sins. They will return to Egypt.
14For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire on his cities, and it will devour its fortresses.”