Hosea 4

1. Hear the Word of the LORD, children of Israel, for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, “There is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

2. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and the committing of adultery they break out; and blood touches blood.

3. Therefore shall the land mourn, and everyone who dwells in it shall languish, with the beasts of the field and with the birds of the heavens. Yes, the fish of the sea shall also be taken away.

4. Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another, for your people are as those who strive with the priest.

5. And you shall stumble in the day, and the prophet also shall stumble with you in the night, and I will destroy your mother.

6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being as a priest to Me. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.

7. As they were increased, so they sinned against Me. I will change their glory into shame.

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

9. And it has become, like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them for their doings,

10. For they shall eat and not have enough. They shall commit whoredom and not increase because they have stopped taking heed to the LORD.

11. ‘Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

12. My people seek advice from their wooden idols, and their rod declares to them, for the spirit of whoredoms has caused them to go astray, and they have gone awhoring away from under their God.

13. They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms because its shade is good. So your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your brides shall commit adultery.

14. Will I not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, or your wives when they commit adultery? Even the men themselves go aside with whores, and they sacrifice with temple prostitutes. The people who do not understand shall fall.

15. Though you, Israel, play the harlot, yet do not let Judah become guilty. And do not come to Gilgal, nor go up to Beth Aven, nor swear, ‘As the LORD lives,’

16. For Israel slides back like a backsliding heifer. Now shall the LORD feed them as a lamb in a large place?

17. Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.

18. Their drink is sour; they have committed whoredom continually; her rulers dearly love dishonor.

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