Hosea 4

God’s Controversy with Israel

11Listen to the word of the Lord, O sons of Israel, For the Lord has a 2case against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is 3no 4faithfulness or 5kindness Or 6knowledge of God in the land.2There is 7swearing, 8deception, 9murder, 10stealing and 11adultery. They employ violence, so that 12bloodshed 13follows bloodshed.3Therefore the land 14mourns, And everyone who lives in it languishes Along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky, And also the fish of the sea 15disappear.

4Yet let no one 1617find fault, and let none offer reproof; For your people are like those who 18contend with the priest.5So you will 19stumble by day, And the prophet also will stumble with you by night; And I will destroy your 20mother.621My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have 22rejected knowledge, I also will 23reject you from being My priest. Since you have 24forgotten the 25law of your God, I also will forget your children.

7The more they 26multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; I will 27change their glory into shame.8They 28feed on the 29sin of My people And 30direct their desire toward their iniquity.9And it will be, like people, 31like priest; So I will 32punish them for their ways And repay them for their deeds.1033They will eat, but not have enough; They will 34play the harlot, but not increase, Because they have 3536stopped giving heed to the Lord.

11Harlotry, 37wine and new wine take away the 38understanding.12My people 39consult their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand informs them; For a spirit of harlotry has led them astray, And they have played the harlot, departing 40from their God.13They offer sacrifices on the 41tops of the mountains And 4243burn incense on the hills, 44Under oak, poplar and terebinth, Because their shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters play the harlot And your 45brides commit adultery.14I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot Or your 46brides when they commit adultery, For the men themselves go apart with harlots And offer sacrifices with 47temple prostitutes; So the people without understanding are 48ruined.

15Though you, Israel, play the harlot, Do not let Judah become guilty; Also do not go to 49Gilgal, Or go up to Beth-aven 50And take the oath: “As the Lord lives!”16Since Israel is 51stubborn Like a stubborn heifer, 52Can the Lord now 53pasture them Like a lamb in a large field?17Ephraim is joined to 54idols; 55Let him alone.18Their liquor gone, They play the harlot continually; 56Their 57rulers dearly love shame.1958The wind wraps them in its wings, And they will be ashamed because of their sacrifices.