Hosea - Chapter 4 | King James Version (KJV)

  • 1. Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because {cf15I there is} no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
  • 2. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
  • 3. Therefore 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.
  • 4. Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people {cf15I are} as they that strive with the priest.
  • 5. Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.
  • 6. My 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.
  • 7. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: {cf15I therefore} will I change their glory into shame.
  • 8. They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
  • 9. And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
  • 10. For 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.
  • 11. Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
  • 12. My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused {cf15I them} to err, and they have gone a whoring 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 the shadow thereof {cf15I is} good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.
  • 14. I 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 {cf15I that} doth not understand shall fall.
  • 15. Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, {cf15I yet} let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.
  • 16. For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
  • 17. Ephraim {cf15I is} joined to idols: let him alone.
  • 18. Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers {cf15I with} shame do love, Give ye.
  • 19. The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
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