1 “ Put the horn to your lips! Men who hate us are coming like an eagle to fight against the house of the Lord, because the people of Israel have sinned against My agreement and would not obey My Law.

2 T hey cry out to Me, ‘My God, we of Israel know You!’

3 I srael has turned away from the good, and those who hate him will come after him.

4 T hey have set up kings, but not by Me. They have chosen leaders, but I did not know it. They have made false gods for themselves out of silver and gold, so they will be destroyed.

5 O Samaria, I will have nothing to do with the calf you worship. My anger burns against them! How long will it be before they are pure

6 i n Israel? A workman made this calf, so it is not God. The calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces.

7 T hey plant the wind and they will gather the storm. The standing grain has no heads, and will give no food. If it were to give food, strangers would eat it.

8 “ Israel is eaten up. They are now among the nations like a pot that is of no worth.

9 T hey have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey all alone. Ephraim has hired lovers.

10 E ven when they hire people among the nations to help them, I will now gather them together. And they will begin to waste away because the powerful king will make it hard for them.

11 “ Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin gifts, they have become altars for sinning.

12 I wrote 10, 000 of My Laws for him, but they think of them as something strange.

13 T hey give gifts to Me and eat the meat of the gifts, but the Lord is not pleased with them. Now He will remember their wrong-doing and punish them for their sins. They will return to Egypt.

14 I srael has forgotten his Maker and built great houses. And Judah has built many strong cities ready for battle. But I will send a fire upon its cities that will destroy its beautiful houses.”