Hosea 8:5-14
Hosea 8:4-14 The Message (MSG)
“They crown kings, but without asking me. They set up princes but don’t let me in on it. Instead, they make idols, using silver and gold, idols that will be their ruin. Throw that gold calf-god on the trash heap, Samaria! I’m seething with anger against that rubbish! How long before they shape up? And they’re Israelites! A sculptor made that thing— it’s not God. That Samaritan calf will be broken to bits. Look at them! Planting wind-seeds, they’ll harvest tornadoes. Wheat with no head produces no flour. And even if it did, strangers would gulp it down. Israel is swallowed up and spit out. Among the pagans they’re a piece of junk. They trotted off to Assyria: Why, even wild donkeys stick to their own kind, but donkey-Ephraim goes out and pays to get lovers. Now, because of their whoring life among the pagans, I’m going to gather them together and confront them. They’re going to reap the consequences soon, feel what it’s like to be oppressed by the big king. “Ephraim has built a lot of altars, and then uses them for sinning. Can you believe it? Altars for sinning! I write out my revelation for them in detail and they pretend they can’t read it. They offer sacrifices to me and then they feast on the meat. GOD is not pleased! I’m fed up—I’ll keep remembering their guilt. I’ll punish their sins and send them back to Egypt. Israel has forgotten his Maker and gotten busy making palaces. Judah has gone in for a lot of fortress cities. I’m sending fire on their cities to burn down their fortifications.”
Hosea 8:5-14 King James Version (KJV)
Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency? 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. 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. Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure. For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers. Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes. Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin. I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing. They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt. For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.
Hosea 8:5-14 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
He has rejected your calf, O Samaria, saying, “My anger burns against them!” How long will they be incapable of innocence? For from Israel is even this! A craftsman made it, so it is not God; Surely the calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces. For they sow the wind And they reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; It yields no grain. Should it yield, strangers would swallow it up. Israel is swallowed up; They are now among the nations Like a vessel in which no one delights. For they have gone up to Assyria, Like a wild donkey all alone; Ephraim has hired lovers. Even though they hire allies among the nations, Now I will gather them up; And they will begin to diminish Because of the burden of the king of princes. Since Ephraim has multiplied altars for sin, They have become altars of sinning for him. Though I wrote for him ten thousand precepts of My law, They are regarded as a strange thing. As for My sacrificial gifts, They sacrifice the flesh and eat it, But the LORD has taken no delight in them. Now He will remember their iniquity, And punish them for their sins; They will return to Egypt. For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; And Judah has multiplied fortified cities, But I will send a fire on its cities that it may consume its palatial dwellings.
Hosea 8:5-14 New Century Version (NCV)
I hate the calf-shaped idol of Israel! I am very angry with the people. How long will they remain unclean? The idol is something a craftsman made; it is not God. Israel’s calf-shaped idol will surely be smashed to pieces. “Israel’s foolish plans are like planting the wind, but they will harvest a storm. Like a stalk with no head of grain, it produces nothing. Even if it produced something, other nations would eat it. Israel is eaten up; the people are mixed among the other nations and have become useless to me. Israel is like a wild donkey all by itself. They have run to Assyria; They have hired other nations to protect them. Although Israel is mixed among the nations, I will gather them together. They will become weaker and weaker as they suffer under the great king of Assyria. “Although Israel built more altars to remove sin, they have become altars for sinning. I have written many teachings for them, but they think the teachings are strange and foreign. The Israelites offer sacrifices to me as gifts and eat the meat, but the LORD is not pleased with them. He remembers the evil they have done, and he will punish them for their sins. They will be slaves again as they were in Egypt. Israel has forgotten their Maker and has built palaces; Judah has built many strong, walled cities. But I will send fire on their cities and destroy their strong buildings.”
Hosea 8:5-14 American Standard Version (ASV)
He hath cast off thy calf, O Samaria; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency? For from Israel is even this; the workman made it, and it is no God; yea, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces. For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: he hath no standing grain; the blade shall yield no meal; if so be it yield, strangers shall swallow it up. Israel is swallowed up: now are they among the nations as a vessel wherein none delighteth. For they are gone up to Assyria, like a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers. Yea, though they hire among the nations, now will I gather them; and they begin to be diminished by reason of the burden of the king of princes. Because Ephraim hath multiplied altars for sinning, altars have been unto him for sinning. I wrote for him the ten thousand things of my law; but they are counted as a strange thing. As for the sacrifices of mine offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it; but Jehovah accepteth them not: now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins; they shall return to Egypt. For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and builded palaces; and Judah hath multiplied fortified cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the castles thereof.
Hosea 8:5-14 New International Version (NIV)
Samaria, throw out your calf-idol! My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of purity? They are from Israel! This calf—a metalworker has made it; it is not God. It will be broken in pieces, that calf of Samaria. “They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no head; it will produce no flour. Were it to yield grain, foreigners would swallow it up. Israel is swallowed up; now she is among the nations like something no one wants. For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has sold herself to lovers. Although they have sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them together. They will begin to waste away under the oppression of the mighty king. “Though Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings, these have become altars for sinning. I wrote for them the many things of my law, but they regarded them as something foreign. Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to me, and though they eat the meat, the LORD is not pleased with them. Now he will remember their wickedness and punish their sins: They will return to Egypt. Israel has forgotten their Maker and built palaces; Judah has fortified many towns. But I will send fire on their cities that will consume their fortresses.”
Hosea 8:5-14 New King James Version (NKJV)
Your calf is rejected, O Samaria! My anger is aroused against them— How long until they attain to innocence? For from Israel is even this: A workman made it, and it is not God; But the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces. “They sow 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. Israel is swallowed up; Now they are among the Gentiles Like a vessel in which is no pleasure. For they have gone up to Assyria, Like a wild donkey alone by itself; Ephraim has hired lovers. Yes, though they have hired among the nations, Now I will gather them; And they shall sorrow a little, Because of the burden of the king of princes. “Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin, They have become for him altars for sinning. I have written for him the great things of My law, But they were considered a strange thing. For the sacrifices of My offerings they sacrifice flesh and eat it, But the LORD does not accept them. Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins. They shall return to Egypt. “For Israel has forgotten his Maker, And has built temples; Judah also has multiplied fortified cities; But I will send fire upon his cities, And it shall devour his palaces.”
Hosea 8:5-14 Amplified Bible (AMP)
He has rejected your [pagan] calf, O Samaria, saying, “My wrath burns against them.” How long will they be incapable of innocence? For even this [loathsome calf] is from Israel. A craftsman made it, so it is not God; Surely the calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces and go up in flames. For they sow the wind [in evil] And they reap the whirlwind [in disaster]. The standing grain has no growth; It yields no grain. If it were to yield, strangers would swallow it up. ¶Israel is [as if] swallowed up [by enemies]; They are now among the nations Like a vessel [of cheap, coarse pottery] that is useless. For they have gone up to Assyria, Like a wild donkey wandering alone and taking her own way; Ephraim has hired lovers (pagan allies). Yes, even though [with presents] they hire allies among the nations, Now I will gather them up; And [in a little while] they will begin to grow weak and diminish Because of the burden imposed by the king of princes [the king of Assyria]. ¶For Ephraim has constructed many altars for sin; They are altars intended for sinning [which multiply his guilt]. I wrote for him the ten thousand precepts of My law, But they are regarded as a strange thing [which does not concern him]. As for My sacrificial offerings, They sacrifice the meat [as a mere formality] and eat it, But the LORD is not pleased with them and does not accept them. Now He will remember and take into account their wickedness and guilt, And punish them for their sins. They will return [in captivity] to [another] Egypt [that is, Assyria]. [Deut 28:68] For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces [and pagan temples], And Judah has built many fortified cities; But I will send a fire upon their cities so that it may consume their palaces and fortresses. [Amos 1:4, 7, 10, 12, 14; 2:2, 5]
Hosea 8:5-14 New Living Translation (NLT)
“O Samaria, I reject this calf— this idol you have made. My fury burns against you. How long will you be incapable of innocence? This calf you worship, O Israel, was crafted by your own hands! It is not God! Therefore, it must be smashed to bits. “They have planted the wind and will harvest the whirlwind. The stalks of grain wither and produce nothing to eat. And even if there is any grain, foreigners will eat it. The people of Israel have been swallowed up; they lie among the nations like an old discarded pot. Like a wild donkey looking for a mate, they have gone up to Assyria. The people of Israel have sold themselves— sold themselves to many lovers. But though they have sold themselves to many allies, I will now gather them together for judgment. Then they will writhe under the burden of the great king. “Israel has built many altars to take away sin, but these very altars became places for sinning! Even though I gave them all my laws, they act as if those laws don’t apply to them. The people love to offer sacrifices to me, feasting on the meat, but I do not accept their sacrifices. I will hold my people accountable for their sins, and I will punish them. They will return to Egypt. Israel has forgotten its Maker and built great palaces, and Judah has fortified its cities. Therefore, I will send down fire on their cities and will burn up their fortresses.”
Hosea 8:5-14 The Passion Translation (TPT)
Samaria, I reject your calf-idol! My anger blazes against your people. How long before they reclaim their purity? Surely, this calf-idol originated with Israel. A craftsman made it; it’s not even a god at all. Yes, this calf of Samaria will be shattered to pieces.” “Since they sow the wind, they will reap the whirlwind. They will reap headless stalks of grain that produce no flour, and even if they did produce grain, foreigners would swallow it. Israel has already been swallowed up and is now powerless among the nations. Israel, you are like a useless piece of broken pottery. For indeed, you have sought assistance from Assyria, like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has sold herself to other lovers. Although they have hired allies from among the nations, I will round them up for judgment. They are already wasting away under the oppression of the king of princes.” “The more altars Ephraim builds, the more places the people have to sin— altars for sinning and not for sin offerings. Although many times I have written many rules for my people, Ephraim regards them as something strange and foreign. They love to offer sacrifices to me so that they can eat the meat. But I, YAHWEH, take no pleasure in them. I will not forget their guilt, and I will punish them for their sins. They will have to go back to Egypt. Israel has built palaces but has forgotten his Maker. Judah keeps on building fortified towns, but I will rain fire down on his cities to devour the strongholds with flames.”
Hosea 8:5-14 English Standard Version 2025 (ESV)
I have spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence? For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces. For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it. Israel is swallowed up; already they are among the nations as a useless vessel. For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has hired lovers. Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And the king and princes shall soon writhe because of the tribute. Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning. Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing. As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt. For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; so I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds.