NET Bible
"Even though they have hired lovers among the nations, I will soon gather them together for judgment. Then they will begin to waste away under the oppression of a mighty king."
— Hosea 8:10, NET Bible
“Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.”
“Yea, though they hire among the nations, now will I gather them; and they begin to be diminished by reason of the burden of the king of princes. ”
“But although they sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them; and they begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of mighty ones.”
“But even though they shall have hired the nations, now will I gather them together: and they shall rest a while from the burden of the king, and the princes.”
“But though they give money to the nations for help, still I will send them in all directions; and in a short time they will be without a king and rulers.”
“Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.”
The Fertility Cultists Will Become Infertile They sow the wind, and so they will reap the whirlwind! The stalk does not have any standing grain; it will not produce any flour. Even if it were to yield grain, foreigners would swallow it all up.
Israel will be swallowed up among the nations; they will be like a worthless piece of pottery.
Israel’s Hired Lovers They have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey that wanders off. Ephraim has hired prostitutes as lovers.
Even though they have hired lovers among the nations, I will soon gather them together for judgment. Then they will begin to waste away under the oppression of a mighty king.
Sacrifices Ineffective without Moral Obedience Although Ephraim has built many altars for sin offerings, these have become altars for sinning!
I spelled out my law for him in great detail, but they regard it as something totally unknown to them!
They offer up sacrificial gifts to me, and eat the meat, but the LORD does not accept their sacrifices. Soon he will remember their wrongdoing, he will punish their sins, and they will return to Egypt.