Divine proclamation about Israel’s idolatry

¹Put a trumpet to your lips!

because they have broken my covenant,

²Israel cries to me,

³Israel has turned away from the good;

⁴They set up kings, but not through me;

With silver and gold they crafted idols

⁵Your calf is rejected, Samaria.

⁶The calf is from Israel,

The calf of Samaria will be smashed.

⁷Because they sow the wind,

Standing grain, but no fresh growth;

if it were to yield,

Bargains, apostasy, and coming punishment

⁸Israel is swallowed up;

⁹They have gone up to Assyria,

¹⁰Though they have bargained with the nations,

They will soon be diminished

¹¹When Ephraim added more altars to take away sin,

¹²Even though I write out for him a large number of my instructions,

¹³Though they offer choice sacrifices,[#8.13 Correction; Heb uncertain]

Now he will remember their wickedness

¹⁴Israel has forgotten his maker,

and Judah has multiplied walled cities;