8 “Blow the trumpet—

someone like a vulture is swooping over Yahweh’s residence

because Yahweh’s people have transgressed my covenant

and rebelled against my law.

2 They call out to me,

‘My god, we in Yisrael (Israel) know you.’

3 Yisrael has rejected what’s good.

An enemy will chase after them.

4 They appointed kings, but not through me.

≈ They’ve appointed leaders but I didn’t know about it.

They’ve made idols for themselves with their gold and silver

so they’ll end up being destroyed.”

5 “Your calf has been rejected, Shomron (Samaria).

My anger burns against them.

For how long will they be incapable of innocence,

6 because it came from Yisrael (Israel)—a craftsman made it.

It’s not God.

That calf in Shomron will end up in pieces,

7 because they sow the wind and harvest the whirlwind.

The standing grain has no heads—it yields no flour.

If it were to produce, strangers would grab it anyway.

8 Yisrael is swallowed up.

Now they’re among the nations like a cup that no one likes

9 because they’ve gone up to Ashur (Assyria)—a wild donkey all alone.

Yisrael (Israel; Heb. Efrayim) has hired lovers for herself.

10 Even though they hire lovers among the nations, now I’ll gather them together.

They’ll begin to diminish under the burden of the king of princes.

11 Since Yisrael has set up multiple altars for sin offerings,

they have become altars for their sinning.

12 Even if I wrote down my instructions for them ten thousand times,

they would regard them as something strange.

13 As for my sacrificial gifts, they sacrifice meat and eat it,

but Yahweh doesn’t accept their sacrifices.

Now he will remember their disobedience

≈ and punish their sins.

They will return to Mitsrayim (Egypt).

14 Yisrael (Israel) has forgotten his maker and has built palaces.

≈ Yehudah (Judah) has fortified many cities,

but I’ll send fire into their cities—

≈ it’ll devour their fortresses.