Summary
In Hosea 8, God warns Israel that his covenant has been violated and that the people’s idols will bring judgment upon them. The prophet describes Israel’s turning away from God and the creation of false idols, especially the calf of Samaria, which symbolizes the nation’s pride and sin. The chapter predicts that Israel’s actions—sowing “wind” and reaping a “whirlwind”—will result in disaster, and that the nation will be swallowed up by foreign powers, notably Assyria and later Egypt. Israel’s worship of idols and the building of temples and fortified cities are condemned, and God declares that fire will consume their palaces. The chapter ends with a prophetic threat that Israel’s cities will be destroyed because of their persistent disobedience. Overall, the passage emphasizes the consequences of turning away from God’s law and the inevitable judgment that follows.