The Message

<div class="version vid97 iso6393eng" data-vid="97" data-iso6393="eng">
   <div class="book bkHOS">
      <div class="chapter ch8" data-usfm="HOS.8">
         <div class="label">8</div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">Altars for Sinning</span></div><div class="q1"><span class="content">  </span><span class="verse v1 v2 v3" data-usfm="HOS.8.1+HOS.8.2+HOS.8.3"><span class="label">1-3</span><span class="content">&#8220;Blow the trumpet! Sound the alarm!</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v1 v2 v3" data-usfm="HOS.8.1+HOS.8.2+HOS.8.3"><span class="content">Vultures are circling over God&#8217;s people</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v1 v2 v3" data-usfm="HOS.8.1+HOS.8.2+HOS.8.3"><span class="content">Who have broken my covenant</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v1 v2 v3" data-usfm="HOS.8.1+HOS.8.2+HOS.8.3"><span class="content">and defied my revelation.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v1 v2 v3" data-usfm="HOS.8.1+HOS.8.2+HOS.8.3"><span class="content">Predictably, Israel cries out, &#8216;My God! We know you!&#8217;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v1 v2 v3" data-usfm="HOS.8.1+HOS.8.2+HOS.8.3"><span class="content">But they don&#8217;t act like it.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v1 v2 v3" data-usfm="HOS.8.1+HOS.8.2+HOS.8.3"><span class="content">Israel will have nothing to do with what&#8217;s good,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v1 v2 v3" data-usfm="HOS.8.1+HOS.8.2+HOS.8.3"><span class="content">and now the enemy is after them.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v1 v2 v3" data-usfm="HOS.8.1+HOS.8.2+HOS.8.3"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="label">4-10</span><span class="content">&#8220;They crown kings, but without asking me.</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">They set up princes but don&#8217;t let me in on it.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">Instead, they make idols, using silver and gold,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">idols that will be their ruin.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">Throw that gold calf-god on the trash heap, Samaria!</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">I&#8217;m seething with anger against that rubbish!</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">How long before they shape up?</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">And they&#8217;re Israelites!</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">A sculptor made that thing&#8212;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">it&#8217;s not God.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">That Samaritan calf</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">will be broken to bits.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">Look at them! Planting wind-seeds,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">they&#8217;ll harvest tornadoes.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">Wheat with no head</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">produces no flour.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">And even if it did,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">strangers would gulp it down.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">Israel is swallowed up and spit out.</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">Among the pagans they&#8217;re a piece of junk.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">They trotted off to Assyria:</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">Why, even wild donkeys stick to their own kind,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">but donkey-Ephraim goes out and </span><span class="it"><span class="content">pays</span></span><span class="content"> to get lovers.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">Now, because of their whoring life among the pagans,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">I&#8217;m going to gather them together and confront them.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">They&#8217;re going to reap the consequences soon,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">feel what it&#8217;s like to be oppressed by the big king.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10" data-usfm="HOS.8.4+HOS.8.5+HOS.8.6+HOS.8.7+HOS.8.8+HOS.8.9+HOS.8.10"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="label">11-14</span><span class="content">&#8220;Ephraim has built a lot of altars,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="content">and then uses them for sinning.</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="content">Can you believe it? Altars for sinning!</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="content">I write out my revelation for them in detail</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="content">and they pretend they can&#8217;t read it.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="content">They offer sacrifices to me</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="content">and then they feast on the meat.</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="content">  </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">God</span></span><span class="content"> is not pleased!</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="content">I&#8217;m fed up&#8212;I&#8217;ll keep remembering their guilt.</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="content">I&#8217;ll punish their sins</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="content">and send them back to Egypt.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="content">Israel has forgotten his Maker</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="content">and gotten busy making palaces.</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="content">Judah has gone in for a lot of fortress cities.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="content">I&#8217;m sending fire on their cities</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13 v14" data-usfm="HOS.8.11+HOS.8.12+HOS.8.13+HOS.8.14"><span class="content">to burn down their fortifications.&#8221;</span></span></div>
      </div>
   </div>
</div>

“Blow the trumpet! Sound the alarm!
Vultures are circling over God’s people
Who have broken my covenant
and defied my revelation.
Predictably, Israel cries out, ‘My God! We know you!’
But they don’t act like it.
Israel will have nothing to do with what’s good,
and now the enemy is after them.

“They crown kings, but without asking me.
They set up princes but don’t let me in on it.
Instead, they make idols, using silver and gold,
idols that will be their ruin.
Throw that gold calf-god on the trash heap, Samaria!
I’m seething with anger against that rubbish!
How long before they shape up?
And they’re Israelites!
A sculptor made that thing—
it’s not God.
That Samaritan calf
will be broken to bits.
Look at them! Planting wind-seeds,
they’ll harvest tornadoes.
Wheat with no head
produces no flour.
And even if it did,
strangers would gulp it down.
Israel is swallowed up and spit out.
Among the pagans they’re a piece of junk.
They trotted off to Assyria:
Why, even wild donkeys stick to their own kind,
but donkey-Ephraim goes out and pays to get lovers.
Now, because of their whoring life among the pagans,
I’m going to gather them together and confront them.
They’re going to reap the consequences soon,
feel what it’s like to be oppressed by the big king.

“Ephraim has built a lot of altars,
and then uses them for sinning.
Can you believe it? Altars for sinning!
I write out my revelation for them in detail
and they pretend they can’t read it.
They offer sacrifices to me
and then they feast on the meat.
GOD is not pleased!
I’m fed up—I’ll keep remembering their guilt.
I’ll punish their sins
and send them back to Egypt.
Israel has forgotten his Maker
and gotten busy making palaces.
Judah has gone in for a lot of fortress cities.
I’m sending fire on their cities
to burn down their fortifications.”

ಆಲಿಸಿ Hosea 8