HOSEA
Hosea 4 ©
God rebukes and threatens Israel vehemently, by reason of the general wickedness and stubbornness of the people, prophets and priests, v. 1, etc. Especially their abominable uncontrolled, spiritual and bodily whoredoms, 11. Warning Judah not to follow the example of Israel, and foretelling the destruction that hung over their head, 15.
HEAR the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a 1controversya with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no 2truth, nor mercy, nor 3knowledge of God in the land.
4By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and 5blood toucheth blood.
Therefore shall the 6land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall 7languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be 8taken away.
Yet let 9no man strive, nor reprove another: for 10thy people are as they that strive with the 11priest.
Therefore shalt 12thou fall in the 13day, and the 14prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy 15mother.
¶My people 16are destroyed for lack of 17knowledge: because 18thou 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 will also 19forget thy children.
20As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their 21glory into shame.
22They eat up the 23sin of my people, and they 24set their heart on their iniquity.
And there shall be, 25likeb people, like 26priest: and I will punish them for 27their ways, and reward them their doings.
Forc they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not 28increase: because they have 29left off to take heed to the LORD.
Whoredom and wine and new wine 30take away the heart.
¶My people ask counsel at their 31stocks, and their 32staff declareth unto them: for thed33spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring 34from under their God.
They sacrifice upon the 35tops of the mountains,e and burn incense upon the hills,f under oaks and poplars andg36elms, because the shadow thereof is 37good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your 38spouses shall commit adultery.
39I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for 40themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall 41fall.
¶ 42Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto 43Gilgal, neither go ye up to 44Beth-aven, 45nor swear, The LORD liveth.
For Israel 46slideth back as a backsliding heifer: 47now the LORD will feed 48them as a 49lamb in a large place.
50Ephraim is 51joined to 52idols: 53let him alone.
Their 54drink is 55sour: they have 56committed whoredom continually: 57her 58rulers with 59shame do love, 60Give ye.
The 61wind hath 62bound 63her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their 64sacrifices.