The Lord Condemns Israel for Idol Worship
1 The Lord says, “Sound the alarm! Enemies are swooping down on my land like eagles! My people have broken the covenant I made with them and have rebelled against my teaching. 2 Even though they call me their God and claim that they are my people and that they know me, 3 they have rejected what is good. Because of this their enemies will pursue them.
4 “My people chose kings, but they did it on their own. They appointed leaders, but without my approval. They took their silver and gold and made idols—for their own destruction. 5 I hate the gold bull worshiped by the people of the city of Samaria. I am furious with them. How long will it be before they give up their idolatry? 6 An Israelite craftsman made the idol, and it is not a god at all! The gold bull worshiped in Samaria will be smashed to pieces! 7 When they sow the wind, they will reap a storm! A field of grain that doesn't ripen can never produce any bread. But even if it did, foreigners would eat it up. 8 Israel has become like any other nation and is as useless as a broken pot. 9 Stubborn as wild donkeys, the people of Israel go their own way. They have gone off to seek help from Assyria and have paid other nations to protect them. 10 But now I am going to gather them together and punish them. Soon they will writhe in pain when the emperor of Assyria oppresses them.
11 “The more altars the people of Israel build for removing sin, the more places they have for sinning! 12 I write down countless teachings for the people, but they reject them as strange and foreign. 13 They offer sacrifices to me and eat the meat of the sacrifices. But I, the Lord, am not pleased with them, and now I will remember their sin and punish them for it; I will send them back to Egypt!
14 “The people of Israel have built palaces, but they have forgotten their own Maker. The people of Judah have built fortified cities. But I will send fire that will burn down their palaces and their cities.”
Reprensión de la idolatría de Israel
1 »¡Llévate la trompeta a los labios, que un águila revolotea sobre la casa del Señor! Y es que no respetaron mi pacto, sino que se rebelaron contra mi ley.
2 Israel clama a mí: “¡Dios mío, nosotros te conocemos!”,
3 pero en realidad rechaza mis bondades; por eso el enemigo lo perseguirá.
4 Los reyes que establecen, yo no los he escogido; cuando nombran a sus príncipes, nunca me lo dicen. Con su plata y su oro se hacen ídolos, para su propia destrucción.
5 »Samaria, tu becerro te hizo alejarte. Mi enojo se encendió contra ustedes. ¿Hasta cuándo estarán sin poder purificarse?
6 Y este otro becerro de Samaria también es de Israel. No es Dios, pues un artífice lo hizo. ¡Por eso será hecho pedazos!
7 Han sembrado vientos, y recogerán torbellinos. No obtendrán mies alguna, ni su trigo producirá harina. Y en caso de producirla, gente extraña se la comerá.
8 Muy pronto Israel será devorado. Será entre las naciones como una vasija sin valor alguno.
9 Porque ellos, a la manera de obstinado asno montés, recurrieron a Asiria. Y Efraín se compró amantes a cambio de un salario.
10 Pero ahora voy a juntarlos, y aunque se compren amantes entre las naciones, durante algún tiempo sufrirán la opresión del rey y de los príncipes.
11 »Efraín multiplicó sus altares, que acabaron siendo altares de pecado.
12 Le escribí las grandezas de mi ley, pero las vio como algo extraño.
13 Ofrecieron sacrificios, y se comieron la carne, pero eso no me agradó. Yo, el Señor, voy a tomar en cuenta su iniquidad, y castigaré su pecado. ¡Ellos volverán a Egipto!
14 Israel olvidó a su Creador y edificó templos, y Judá construyó muchas ciudades fortificadas, pero yo voy a prenderles fuego a sus ciudades, y sus palacios serán consumidos.»