Hosea 8 · The Lantern

Let there be a trumpet in your throat, like an eagle over the house of the Lord, on behalf of those who have transgressed my covenant and violated my law.

They will call on me: “O my God, we, Israel, know you.”

Israel has thrown away goodness; the enemy will overtake him.

They have reigned, but not by me. Leaders have emerged, and I did not recognize them. Their silver and their gold, they have made into idols for themselves, so that they might cross over.

When Peter is speaking to the people concerning the bishop to be ordained in the place of Judas, it says, "Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, for the multitude was together." But we notice that the apostles observed this, not only in the ordination of bishops and of priests but also in the ordinations of deacons.

"They themselves have reigned, and not by me; principalities have arisen, and I have not known them. They made for themselves idols of their silver and gold, so that they should be destroyed." LXX: "they themselves have reigned, and not by me; principalities have arisen, and have not declared it to me: they have made idols for themselves with their silver and gold, so that they…

But it can be reasonably asked, How it is said in this place that the Lord makes the hypocrite to reign, when by the Prophet He complains especially of this thing, saying, They have reigned, but not of Me: they have become princes, and I know them not? For, who that thinks rightly, can say that the Lord does that of which He knows nothing?

Your calf, Samaria, has been rejected. My fury has been enraged against them. How long will they be incapable of being cleansed?

For it is itself also from Israel: a workman made it, and it is not God. For the calf of Samaria will be used for the webs of spiders.

For they will sow wind and reap a whirlwind. It does not have a firm stalk; the bud will yield no grain. But if it does yield, strangers will eat it.

For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: standing stalk, there is no grain in it, it shall not make flour: and if it should make any, strangers would devour it. " LXX: "Because they have sown corruption, they shall reap a fall: a handful of corn hath not the beauty of ear; they shall yield no flour; and if it should yield, strangers shall devour it.

For you pluck no fruit from the idol's service, but their bundles are like ears of wheat destroyed by the wind, which show full stalks from the outside but which internally have no grain.

For it is infinite folly to labour painfully, and pant after the breath of applause, to apply one's self to the heavenly precepts with hard toil, but to aim at the reward of an earthly kind of recompense.

Israel has been devoured. Now, among the nations, it has become like an unclean vessel.

For they have gone up to Assur, a wild ass alone by himself. Ephraim has given presents to his lovers.

But even when they will have brought the nations together for the sake of money, now I will assemble them. And they will rest for a little while from the burden of the king and the leaders.

For Ephraim multiplied altars to sin, and sanctuaries have become an offense for him.

I will write to him my intricate laws, which have been treated like strangers.

They will offer victims, they will immolate flesh and will eat, and the Lord will not accept them. For now he will remember their iniquity, and he will repay their sins: they will be turned back to Egypt.

And Israel has forgotten his Maker and has built shrines. And Judah has increased its fortified cities. And I will send fire upon his cities, and it will devour its structures.

Hosea8