Hoshea - Chapter 4

1. Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel; for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land; for there is neither truth nor loving-kindness nor knowledge of God in the land.

2. There is swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and blood touches blood.

3. Therefore shall the land mourn, and all that dwell therein shall be cut off, along with the beasts of the field, and the fowl of the heavens; also the fish of the sea shall be diminished.

4. Surely let no man strive, and let no man reprove; for your people are like them who strive with the priest.

5. Therefore you shall stumble in the daytime, and the prophet that is with you shall also stumble with you in the night, and I will silence your mother.

6. My people were silenced for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being a priest to me; seeing that you have forgotten the Torah of your God, I, too, will forget your children.

7. The more they have increased, the more they have sinned against Me; I will (therefore) exchange their honor for shame.

8. They feed on the sin offerings of My people, and set their heart on their inquity.

9. And it shall be like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and requite them for their deeds.

10. For they shall eat, and not be satisfied; they shall commit harlotry and shall not increase; because they have forsaken God to take heed [of His ways].

11. Harlotry and [old] wine and new wine take away the heart.

12. My people takes counsel of his piece of wood, and his rod declares to him. For the spirit of harlotry has caused them to err, and they have gone astray lewdly from under their God.

13. They sacrifice upon the mountaintops and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and styraxes and elms, because its shadow is good; therefore your daughters commit harlotry, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

14. I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery; for they themselves join with harlots, and they sacrifice with the prostitutes; therefore the people that does not understand shall be knocked about.

15. Though you, O Israel, play the harlot, let not Judah also become guilty; and do not come to Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-aven, nor swear, 'As the Lord lives.'

16. For Israel has rebelled like a rebellious cow; now shall the Lord feed them as a lamb in a broad [pasture] area.

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

18. Their drinking bouts have become strange; they have led them to harlotry; her rulers love to invite disgrace [upon them].

19. The wind has bound her up in its wings, and they shall be ashamed of their altars.