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!

Hear the word of the LORD, all of you children of Israel: for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

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

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

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.

Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwells 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 But let no man contend; let no man offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend with a priest.

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

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

Therefore shall you fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with you in the night, and 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.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to me: seeing 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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 Promiscuity, wine, and new wine take away understanding.

Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

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.

My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declares unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms has caused them to go astray, and they have gone a whoring from under 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.

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 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.

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 does not understand shall fall.

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!’

Though you, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not all of you unto Gilgal, neither go all of you up to Bethaven, nor swear, 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?

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

17 Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!

Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

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

Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give all of you.

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

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