1 Put the trumpet to thy mouth. A vulture is circling over God's House, because they have sinned against My covenant, and rebelled against My law.
2 Israel will cry to Me, "My God, we know thee."
Israel will only call out to God when all is lost and it is too late. Then they will expect God to rescue them.
3 Israel has thrown off all that is good, so the enemy will chase him.
4 I have not appointed those they have made into kings. I didn't even know their princes's. They made idols out of silver and gold, so they will be destroyed.
5 I hate the golden calf you worship, O Samaria. It makes me mad! When will you quit sinning?
This is the calf made by Jeroboam when he took the kingdom from Solomon’s son Rehaboam. Israel is still worshiping it and pretending that God told them to. This makes Him mad.
6 It was made in Israel by a craftsman, so it can't be a god. And so, it will be shattered to pieces.
Since the calf was made by human hands, it obviously isn’t a god, but just a statue. God is going to make sure it is broken apart.
7 For Israel has planted the wind, and they will harvest a tornado. If they plant grain, it won't sprout or produce bread. If it does, I will make sure foreigners invade and eat it all up.
Israel has made God mad and they will get way more than they bargained for.
8 Israel is consumed. Now she is as valuable as a broken pot.
Assyria will carry away Israel into a whole different country as slaves.
9 Because they went to Assyria for help, like a wild donkey looking for a mate. Ephraim has hired them as lovers.
Israel paid money to Assyria to protect them from Egypt and had followed them culturally. As a result Assyria will conquer them.
10 Even though they have hired other nations for protection, I will gather them together to be put under subjection to the King of Assyria.
Hiring a human nation as protection from the punishment of God is useless at best, and in this case opened the door for God to use Assyria as the spanking paddle to punish them.
11 Even though Ephraim has made many altars to make sin offerings on, he just sinned that much more.
12 I have written to him the great things of My law, but they ignored them.
Israel had flat refused to follow God’s law.
13 They sacrifice meat for the ceremonial sacrifices I commanded, and eat it, but the I AM doesn't accept them. I will remember their evilness, and punish their sins by sending them back to Egypt.
This “return to Egypt” was a return to a bondage like they were under in the time of Moses. They would become slaves again because they had denied God, though many Israelites did actually run to Egypt to hide when the Assyrians attacked.
14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker, and builds temples. And Judah has multiplied the number of fenced cities. But I will send a fire on those cities, and it will devour its palaces.
Nothing humans can do can protect them from God. Only humbleness and obedience to God can turn punishment aside.