Hosea 4

1 Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land!

2 Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.

3 Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea disappear.

4 But let no man contend; let no man offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend with a priest.

5 You will stumble by day, and the prophet will stumble with you by night; so I will destroy your mother—

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.

7 The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; they exchanged their Glory for a thing of disgrace.

8 They feed on the sins of My people and set their hearts on iniquity.

9 And it shall be like people, like priest. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.

10 They will eat but not be satisfied; they will be promiscuous but not multiply. For they have abandoned the LORD to give themselves

11 to promiscuity, wine, and new wine, which take away understanding.

12 My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God.

13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people without understanding will come to ruin.

15 Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’

16 For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow?

17 Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!

18 When their liquor is gone, they turn to prostitution; their rulers dearly love disgrace.

19 The whirlwind has wrapped them in its wings, and their sacrifices will bring them shame.

1 ¶ Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because [there is] no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people [are] as they that strive with the priest.

5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.

6 ¶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: [therefore] will I change their glory into shame.

8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.

9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.

11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

12 ¶ My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused [them] to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.

13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof [is] good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people [that] doth not understand shall fall.

15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, [yet] let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.

16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

17 Ephraim [is] joined to idols: let him alone.

18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers [with] shame do love, Give ye.

19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

1 Hear, ye children of Israel, the word of the LORD: for the LORD hath cause to rebuke them that dwell in the land. For there is no faithfulness, no love, no word of God in the land,

2 But blasphemy, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery, have abounded, and come one bloodguilt after another.

3 Therefore shall the land be desolate, and all the inhabitants thereof shall perish: for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea, shall be taken away.

4 But rebuke not, neither rebuke any: for my people are as they that rebuke the priests.

5 Therefore thou shalt fall by day, and the prophet shall fall by night beside thee: so will I put thy mother to death.

6 My people are gone, because they will not learn. For thou rejectest the word of God; therefore will I reject thee also, that thou shouldest not be my priest. Thou forgettest the law of thy God; therefore will I also forget thy children.

7 The more they are, the more they sin against me: therefore will I put their glory to shame.

8 They devour the sin offerings of my people, and are eager for their sins.

9 Therefore it shall be unto the people as unto the priest: for I will punish their doings, and will recompense them according to their deserts,

10 That they should eat, and not be satisfied, and commit fornication; and they shall not prosper, because they have forsaken the LORD, and have no respect unto him.

11 fornication, wine and must make great.

12 My people shall inquire of their wood, and their staff shall preach unto them: for the spirit of whoredom deceiveth them, that they should commit whoredom against their God.

13 They sacrifice upon the top of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under the oaks, and under the lindens, and under the beeches; for they have fine shadows. Therefore shall your daughters also become harlots, and your brides adulteresses.

14 Neither will I forbid it, if your daughters and your brides be defiled, and become harlots, because ye have worshipped with harlots, and sacrificed with harlots. For the foolish people will be beaten.

15 Wilt thou, O Israel, go to whoredom, lest Judah also be guilty? Go not to Gilgal, and come not up to Bethaven, and swear not, As the LORD liveth.

16 For Israel walketh as a mad heifer; so shall the LORD feed her as a lamb in the wilderness.

17 For Ephraim hath sat down with idols: let him go.

18 They have given themselves to revelry and whoredom: their lords delight in them, that they may bring shame.

19 The wind with his wings shall drive them bound, and shall be ashamed of their sacrifice.