Reaping the Wind Storm

1“Sound the ram’s horn!

Like a vulturea the enemyb will come against the Temple of the LORD,

because Israelc violated my covenant,

transgressing my Law.

2They cry out to me,

‘God, we of Israel acknowledge you.’

3“Israel has discarded what is good.

The enemy will pursue them.d

4They set kings in place,

but not by me.

They established princes,

whom I did not recognize.

They crafted idols for themselves from their silver and gold;

as a result, they will be destroyed.

5Your calf,e Samaria, has been thrown away.

My anger is burning against them.

How long until they become pure again?

6Because from Israel it was fashioned by craftsmen,

it is not God;

therefore Samaria’s calf will be broken in pieces.

7 “Because they sow the wind,

they will reap the wind storm.

The plant has no stalk

and its bud yields no grain.

Even if there’s a harvest,

foreigners will gobble it up.

8Israel has been devoured;

now they will live among the nations

like a worthless container.

9“Because they went over to Assyria,

they are like a wild donkey alone by itself.

Ephraim has hired some lovers.

10Even though they sold themselves to the nations,

I will gather them.

They will mourn for a while

for the burden they were to the king and princes.f

11“The more altars Ephraim builds for sin,

the more altars there will be for sin.

12I prescribed great things from my Law for them,g

but they considered them profane.

13They offer me meat from the sacrifices of my offerings,

and they eat from it,

but the LORD does not accept them.

He will now remember their transgression

and pay them back for their sins;

to Egypt they will return.

14“Israel has neglected its maker in building palaces.

Judah has multiplied its fortified cities,

but I will send fire to their cities,

and it will consume their fortresses.”