Hosea 8:7-14

7 For they sow the wind, so they will reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no ears, so it will yield no flour; and if it does yield any, foreigners will swallow it up.

8 Isra'el is swallowed up; now they are among the Goyim like a vessel nobody wants.

9 For they have gone up to Ashur; like a wild donkey, alone by itself, Efrayim has bargained for lovers.

10 But even if they bargain among the Goyim, now I will round them up. Soon they will start to feel the burden of these kings and leaders.

11 For Efrayim keeps building altars for sin; yes, altars are sinful for him.

12 I write him so many things from my Torah, yet he considers them foreign.

13 They offer me sacrifices of flesh and eat them, but ADONAI does not accept them. Now he will recall their crimes and punish their sins - they will return to Egypt.

14 For Isra'el forgot his maker and built palaces; and Y'hudah made more fortified cities; but I will send fire on his cities, and it will consume their strongholds."

Hosea 8:7-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 8

This chapter treats of the sins and punishment of Israel for them, as the preceding; it is threatened and proclaimed that an enemy should come swiftly against them, because of their transgression of the covenant and law of God, Ho 8:1; their hypocrisy is exposed, Ho 8:2; they are charged with the rejection of that which is good, and therefore should be pursued by the enemy, Ho 8:3; with setting up kings and princes without consulting the Lord, Ho 8:4; and with making of idols, particularly the golden calves, which would be of no use to them, disappoint them, and at last be broke to pieces, Ho 8:4-6; their seeking to their neighbours for help, and entering into alliances with them, are represented as vain and fruitless, and issuing in their ruin and destruction, Ho 8:7-10; their sins of multiplying altars, contrary to the law of God, and in contempt of it, and offering sacrifices to the Lord, are observed; and they with a visitation from him, Ho 8:11-13; and the chapter is concluded with some notice and Judah, the one building temples, and multiplying fenced cities, which should be by fire, Ho 8:14.