Hosea Chapter 4

4 : 1 Hear the word of the LORD, 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.

4 : 2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood touches blood.

4 : 3 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; yes, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

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

4 : 5 Therefore shall you fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with you in the night, and I will destroy your mother.

4 : 6 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.

4 : 7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.

4 : 8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.

4 : 9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

4 : 10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit prostitution, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.

4 : 11 Prostitution and wine and new wine take away the heart.

4 : 12 My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declares to them: for the spirit of prostitutions has caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.

4 : 13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit prostitution, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

4 : 14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit prostitution, 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.

4 : 15 Though you, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not you to Gilgal, neither go you up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD lives.

4 : 16 For Israel slides back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

4 : 17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

4 : 18 Their drink is sour: they have committed prostitution continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give you.

4 : 19 The wind has bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.