Hosea 4

¹Hear the word of Jehovah, ye children of Israel; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.

²There is nought but swearing and breaking faith, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery; they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

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

⁴Yet let no man strive, neither let any man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.

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

⁶My 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 also will forget thy children.

⁷As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame.

⁸They feed on the sin of my people, and set their heart on their iniquity.

⁹And it shall be, like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and will requite them their doings.

¹⁰And they shall eat, and not have enough; they shall play the harlot, and shall not increase; because they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.

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

¹²My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have played the harlot, departing from under their God.

¹³They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters play the harlot, and your brides commit adultery.

¹⁴I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for the men themselves go apart with harlots, and they sacrifice with the prostitutes; and the people that doth not understand shall be overthrown.

¹⁵Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, As Jehovah liveth.

¹⁶For Israel hath behaved himself stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer: now will Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a large place.

¹⁷Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.

¹⁸Their drink is become sour; they play the harlot continually; her rulers dearly love shame.

¹⁹The wind hath wrapped her up in its wings; and they shall be put to shame because of their sacrifices.

Hosea 4

¹Hear 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!

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

³Therefore 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.

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

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

⁶My 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.

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

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

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

¹⁰They will eat but not be satisfied; they will be promiscuous but not multiply. For they have stopped obeying the LORD.

¹¹Promiscuity, wine, and new wine take away understanding.

¹²My 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.

¹³They 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.

¹⁴I 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.

¹⁵Though 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!’

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

¹⁷Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!

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

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