The Apostasy of Israel
1 “Setthe trumpet to your mouth!
# Heshallcomelike an eagle against the house of theLord,
Because they have transgressed My covenant
And rebelled against My law.
2 Israel will cry to Me,
# ‘My God,we know You!’
3 Israel has rejected the good;
The enemy will pursue him.
4 “Theyset up kings, but not by Me;
They made princes, but I did not acknowledgethem.
From their silver and gold
They made idols for themselves—
That they might be cut off.
5 Your calf is rejected, O Samaria!
My anger is aroused against them—
# How long until they attain to innocence?
6 For from Israeliseven this:
# Aworkman made it, and itisnot God;
But the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.
7 “Theysow the wind,
And reap the whirlwind.
The stalk has no bud;
It shall never produce meal.
If it should produce,
# Aliens would swallow it up.
8 Israel is swallowed up;
Now they are among the Gentiles
# Like a vessel in whichisno pleasure.
9 For they have gone up to Assyria,
# Likea wild donkey alone by itself;
# Ephraimhas hired lovers.
10 Yes, though they have hired among the nations,
# NowI will gather them;
And they shall sorrow a little,
# Because of the burden ofthe king of princes.
11 “Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin,
They have become for him altars for sinning.
12 I have written for himthe great things of My law,
Butthey were considered a strange thing.
13 Forthe sacrifices of My offeringsthey sacrifice flesh and eatit,
# ButtheLorddoes not accept them.
# Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.
They shall return to Egypt.
14 “ForIsrael has forgottenhis Maker,
And has built temples;
# Judah also has multipliedfortified cities;
# ButI will send fire upon his cities,
And it shall devour his palaces.”