Hosea 8:2-14 ▼

2 Israel shoulde haue sayde vnto me: Thou art my God, we knowe thee.

3 But he hath refused the thyng that is good, therfore shall the enemie pursue him.

4 They haue ordeyned kinges, but not through me, they haue made princes, and I knewe it not: of their siluer and golde haue they made them idols, therfore shall they be destroyed.

5 Thy Calfe O Samaria hath cast thee of, for my wrathfull indignation is gone foorth agaynst them: howe long wyll they be without innocencie?

6 For the calfe came from Israel, the workman made it, therfore can it be no God: but euen in peeces shall the calfe of Samaria be broken.

7 They haue sowen winde, therfore shall they reape a whirlewinde: it hath no stalke, the bud shall bryng foorth no meale: and if haplie it do, straungers shall deuour it vp.

8 Israel is deuoured, nowe shall they be among the gentiles as a vessell of no reputation.

9 For they haue gone vp to Assyria and are as a wilde asse solitarie by him selfe: Ephraim hath hired louers.

10 And though they haue hired them among the heathen, yet nowe wyll I gather them, and they shall begyn to be weery with the burthen of the king and the prince.

11 Ephraim hath made many aulters to do wickednesse, his aulters I say he had to his sinne.

12 I haue written to them the great thinges of my lawe, but they are counted as a straunge thing.

13 They sacrifice fleshe for the sacrifice of mine offeringes, & eate it, but the Lord hath no pleasure in it: nowe wyll he remember their iniquitie, and visite their sinnes, they shall returne into Egypt.

14 For Israel hath forgotten him that made him, & hath builded faire palaces, and Iuda hath encreased strong cities: but I wyll sende a fire into their cities, and it shall consume their palaces.