Hosea 4

1Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because {there is} no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.● 2By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. {blood: Heb. bloods}● 3Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth 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.● 4Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people {are} as they that strive with the priest.● 5Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. {destroy: Heb. cut off}● 6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou 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 forget thy children. {destroyed: Heb. cut off}● 7As they were increased, so they sinned against me: {therefore} will I change their glory into shame.● 8They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. {set...: Heb. lift up their soul to}● 9And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. {punish: Heb. visit upon} {reward: Heb. cause to return}● 10For 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.● 11Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.● 12My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused {them} to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.● 13They 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.● 14I 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} doth not understand shall fall. {I will not: or, Shall I not} {fall: or, be punished}● 15Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, {yet} let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.● 16For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.● 17Ephraim {is} joined to idols: let him alone.● 18Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers {with} shame do love, Give ye. {sour: Heb. gone} {rulers: Heb. shields}● 19The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.●