Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 The Lord says, "Sound the alarm! Enemies are swooping down on my land like eagles! My people have broken the covenant I made with them and have rebelled against my teaching.
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"Put the trumpet to your lips! Something like an eagle is over Yahweh's house, Because they have broken my covenant, And rebelled against my law.
2 Even though they call me their God and claim that they are my people and that they know me,
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They cry to me, 'My God, we Israel acknowledge you!'
3 they have rejected what is good. Because of this their enemies will pursue them.
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Israel has cast off that which is good. The enemy will pursue him.
4 "My people chose kings, but they did it on their own. They appointed leaders, but without my approval. They took their silver and gold and made idols - for their own destruction.
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They have set up kings, but not by me. They have made princes, and I didn't approve. Of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols, That they may be cut off.
5 I hate the gold bull worshiped by the people of the city of Samaria. I am furious with them. How long will it be before they give up their idolatry?
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Let Samaria throw out his calf-idol! My anger burns against them! How long will it be before the are capable of purity?
6 An Israelite craftsman made the idol, and it is not a god at all! The gold bull worshiped in Samaria will be smashed to pieces!
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For this is even from Israel! The workman made it, and it is no God; Indeed, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
7 When they sow the wind, they will reap a storm! A field of grain that doesn't ripen can never produce any bread. But even if it did, foreigners would eat it up.
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For they sow the wind, And they will reap the whirlwind. He has no standing grain. The stalk will yield no head. If it does yield, strangers will swallow it up.
8 Israel has become like any other nation and is as useless as a broken pot.
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Israel is swallowed up. Now they are among the nations like a worthless thing.
9 Stubborn as wild donkeys, the people of Israel go their own way. They have gone off to seek help from Assyria and have paid other nations to protect them.
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For they have gone up to Assyria, Like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has hired lovers for himself.
10 But now I am going to gather them together and punish them. Soon they will writhe in pain when the emperor of Assyria oppresses them.
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But although they sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them; and they begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of mighty ones.
11 "The more altars the people of Israel build for removing sin, the more places they have for sinning!
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Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, They became for him altars for sinning.
12 I write down countless teachings for the people, but they reject them as strange and foreign.
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I wrote for him the many things of my law; But they were regarded as a strange thing.
13 They offer sacrifices to me and eat the meat of the sacrifices. But I, the Lord, am not pleased with them, and now I will remember their sin and punish them for it; I will send them back to Egypt!
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As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it; But Yahweh doesn't accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity, And punish their sins. They will return to Egypt.
14 "The people of Israel have built palaces, but they have forgotten their own Maker. The people of Judah have built fortified cities. But I will send fire that will burn down their palaces and their cities."
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For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; And Judah has multiplied fortified cities; But I will send a fire on his cities, And it will devour its fortresses."
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.