Israel Will Reap the Whirlwind 1 UST { Yahweh said to me,}“Blow a trumpet{ to warn the people}! My people have rejected the agreement that I made with them, and they have rebelled against obeying my laws. Therefore, an enemy is ready to invade the land where my people live, as a vulture watches its prey. BSB BSB: Put the ram’s horn to your lips! An eagle looms over the house of the LORD, because the people have transgressed My covenant and rebelled against My law.
2 UST The Israelites cry out to me,‘Our God, we people of Israel know you!’ BSB BSB: Israel cries out to Me, “O our God, we know You!”
3 UST But the people of Israel have rejected what is good, so an enemy will chase after them. BSB BSB: But Israel has rejected good; an enemy will pursue him.
4 UST As for them, they set up kings without asking me, and they chose leaders, but I did not approve them. They used their silver and gold to make idols for themselves, and that is why I will destroy them.” BSB BSB: They set up kings, but not by Me. They make princes, but without My approval. With their silver and gold they make themselves idols, to their own destruction.
5 UST “I reject your calf idol, you people of Samaria! I am very angry with you. You need to stop acting in ways that make you guilty! BSB BSB: He has rejected your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?
6 UST And it was in Israel that a craftsman made that idol! It is not God! I will make sure that someone smashes that calf idol of Samaria into pieces. BSB BSB: For this thing is from Israel—a craftsman made it, and it is not God. It will be broken to pieces, that calf of Samaria.
7 UST What the people of Israel have done is completely foolish, like trying to plant wind. What they get in return will be terrible, like reaping a whirlwind. Their plans will produce nothing good, like grain stalks that have no heads and that can produce no flour. Even if they did produce something, foreigners would come and steal it all. BSB BSB: For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. There is no standing grain; what sprouts fails to yield flour. Even if it should produce, the foreigners would swallow it up.
8 UST The other nations have already stolen Israel.{ Even} now the Israelites live as one of the other nations, and there is nothing special about them at all. BSB BSB: Israel is swallowed up! Now they are among the nations like a worthless vessel.
9 UST Indeed, the Israelites have gone to Assyria like a lonely wild donkey{ looking for a mate}. The people of Ephraim have paid other nations to be their allies. BSB BSB: For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey on its own. Ephraim has hired lovers.
10 UST But although they pay other nations{ to help them}, I will now begin to punish them. They will soon suffer greatly because of everything that the great king will demand from them. BSB BSB: Though they hire allies among the nations, I will now round them up, and they will begin to diminish under the oppression of the king of princes.
11 UST Because the people of Ephraim built many altars{ on which to make sacrifices} to{ take away} sin, those altars became places where they sinned{ even more}. BSB BSB: Though Ephraim multiplied the altars for sin, they became his altars for sinning.
12 UST Even if I wrote down my law for them ten thousand times, they would still consider that it did not apply to them. BSB BSB: Though I wrote for them the great things of My law, they regarded them as something strange.
13 UST They offer sacrifices to me and eat{ some of} the meat from those sacrifices, but I, Yahweh, am not pleased with those people. I remember the wrong things that they have done and now I will punish them because they have sinned. As for them, they will become{ slaves} again{ like they were} in Egypt. BSB BSB: Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to Me, and though they eat the meat, the LORD does not accept them. Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins: They will return to Egypt.
14 UST The people of Israel have forgotten God, the one who created their nation, and they have built palaces{ for themselves instead}. The people of Judah have built many cities with strong walls to protect them, but I will send fire to burn down their cities and it will completely consume their strong towers.” BSB BSB: Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; Judah has multiplied its fortified cities. But I will send fire upon their cities, and it will consume their citadels.