8 ⁴ They made kings, but not through me.
They set up princes, but without my knowledge.
With their silver and gold they made idols
for their own destruction.
8 ⁵ I have spurned your calf, O Sama'ria.
My anger burns against them.
How long will it be till they are pure 8 ⁶ in Israel?
A workman made it;
it is not God.
The calf of Sama'ria
shall be broken to pieces.

8 ⁷ For they sow the wind,
and they shall reap the whirlwind.
The standing grain has no heads,
it shall yield no meal;
if it were to yield,
aliens would devour it.
8 ⁸ Israel is swallowed up;
already they are among the nations
as a useless vessel.
8 ⁹ For they have gone up to Assyria,
a wild ass wandering alone;
E'phraim has hired lovers.
8 ¹⁰ Though they hire allies among the nations,
I will soon gather them up.
And they shall cease for a little while
from anointing king and princes.

8 ¹¹ Because E'phraim has multiplied altars for sinning,
they have become to him altars for sinning.
8 ¹² Were I to write for him my laws by ten thousands,
they would be regarded as a strange thing.
8 ¹³ They love sacrifice;
they sacrifice flesh and eat it;
but the LORD has no delight in them.
Now he will remember their iniquity,
and punish their sins;
they shall return to Egypt.
8 ¹⁴ For Israel has forgotten his Maker,
and built palaces;
and Judah has multiplied fortified cities;
but I will send a fire upon his cities,
and it shall devour his strongholds.