Hosea 4
The LORD's Controversy with Israel |
1 |
Hear 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.
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2 |
By swearing, and lying, and killing, and
stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood
toucheth blood.
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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.
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4 |
Yet let no man strive, nor reprove
another: for thy people are as they that strive with the
priest.
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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.
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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.
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7 |
As they were increased, so they sinned
against me: therefore will I change their glory into
shame.
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8 |
They eat up the sin of my people, and
they set their heart on their iniquity.
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9 |
And there shall be, like people, like
priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their
doings.
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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.
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11 |
Whoredom and wine and new wine take
away the heart.
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12 |
My 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.
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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 is good.
Therefore
your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit
adultery.
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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 that doth not understand shall
fall.
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15 |
Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal,
neither go ye up to Beth-a'ven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.
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16 |
For Israel slideth back as a backsliding
heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb
in a large place.
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17 |
E'phra-im is joined to idols:
let him alone.
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18 |
Their drink is sour: they have committed
whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give
ye.
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19 |
The wind hath bound her up in her wings,
and they shall be ashamed because of their
sacrifices.
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