Berean Standard Bible

Hosea 4:5-15

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 Glory1for a thing of disgrace.8They feed on the sins2 of My peopleand set their hearts on iniquity.9And it shall belike people, like priest.I will punish both of them for their waysand repay them for their deeds.10They will eat but not be satisfied;they will be promiscuous but not multiply.For they have abandoned the LORD to give themselves11to promiscuity, wine, and new wine,which take away understanding.

12My people consult their wooden idols,and their divining rods inform them.For a spirit of prostitution leads them astrayand they have played the harlot against their God.13They sacrifice on the mountaintopsand burn offerings on the hills,under oak, poplar, and terebinth,because their shade is pleasant.And so your daughters turn to prostitutionand your daughters-in-law to adultery.14I will not punish your daughterswhen they prostitute themselves,nor your daughters-in-lawwhen they commit adultery.For the men themselves go off with prostitutesand offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes.So a people without understandingwill 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,3and do not swear on oath,‘As surely as the LORD lives!’

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Notes

1. Hosea 4:7 Or they exchanged their glorious God (Syriac); MT I will exchange their glory ↩
2. Hosea 4:8 Or the sin offerings ↩
3. Hosea 4:15 Beth-aven means house of wickedness. This is a derogatory term for Bethel, which means house of God; see 1 Kings 12:28–29. ↩

Notes

Commentaries on Hosea 4