Hosea

For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.

For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?

They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.

Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.

Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.

Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.

They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.

And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.

Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.

When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.

Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.

Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.

Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.

For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.

In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.

They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.

They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.

When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.

Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people.

I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.

And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.

Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.

But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.