Hosea – Chapter 8

Old Testament14 Verses

1Let there be a trumpet in thy throat like an eagle upon the house of the Lord: because they have transgressed my covenant, and have violated my law.

2They shall call upon me: O my God, we, Israel, know thee.

3Israel hath cast off the thing that is good, the enemy shall pursue him.

4They have reigned, but not by me: they have been princes, and I knew not: of their silver and their gold they have made idols to themselves, that they might perish.

5Thy calf, O Samaria, is cast off, my wrath is kindled against them. How long will they be incapable of being cleansed?

6For itself also is the invention of Israel: a workman made it, and it is no god: for the calf of Samaria shall be turned to spiders' webs.

7For they shall sow wind, and reap a whirlwind, there is no standing stalk in it, the bud shall yield no meal; and if it should yield, strangers shall eat it.

8Israel is swallowed up: now is he become among the nations like an unclean vessel.

9For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath given gifts to his lovers.

10But 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.

11Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin: altars are become to him unto sin.

12I shall write to him my manifold laws, which have been accounted as foreign.

13They shall offer victims, they shall sacrifice flesh, and shall eat it, and the Lord will not receive them: now will he remember their iniquity, and will visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.

14And Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and hath built temples: and Juda hath built many fenced cities: and I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the houses thereof.

Reflection for Today

The message of Hosea Chapter 8 unfolds within the broader narrative of God's faithful love despite Israel's unfaithfulness. Catholic theology, drawing on Hosea's marriage symbolizes God's covenant love (CIC 1611), sees in this chapter a call to deeper faith. The principle that God's love is steadfast and merciful guides our interpretation.

The Church Fathers, including St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and St. John Chrysostom, devoted themselves to explaining Scripture for the faithful. Their insights, preserved in the Church's Tradition, continue to illuminate our reading. The Catechism reminds us that "the Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord" (CIC 103).

As you engage with this chapter, bring your questions, struggles, and hopes to the text. God's Word addresses the whole person—mind, heart, and will. Through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, we receive the grace to live what we read. May this chapter strengthen your faith and deepen your love for Christ and His Church.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

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