Hos 4 | NASB1995 | STEP | Listen to the word of the Lord , O sons of Israel , For the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land , Because there is no faithfulness or kindness Or knowledge of God in the land .

‏ Hosea 4

God’s Controversy with Israel

1 ^aListen to the word of the Lord, O sons of Israel,
For the Lord has a ^bcase against the inhabitants of the land,
Because there is ^cno ^{▼▼ Or truth}faithfulness or ^{▼▼ Or loyalty}kindness
Or ^fknowledge of God in the land.
2 There is ^gswearing, ^hdeception, ⁱmurder, ^jstealing and ^kadultery.
They employ violence, so that ^lbloodshed ^{▼▼ Lit touches}follows bloodshed.
3 Therefore the land ⁿmourns,
And everyone who lives in it languishes
Along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky,
And also the fish of the sea ^{▼▼ Lit are taken away}disappear.

4 Yet let no one ^{▼▼ Lit contend
,} ^qfind fault, and let none offer reproof;
For your people are like those who ^rcontend with the priest.
5 So you will ^sstumble by day,
And the prophet also will stumble with you by night;
And I will destroy your ^tmother.
6 ^uMy people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have ^vrejected knowledge,
I also will ^wreject you from being My priest.
Since you have ^xforgotten the ^ylaw of your God,
I also will forget your children.

7 The more they ^zmultiplied, the more they sinned against Me;
I will ^aachange their glory into shame.
8 They ^abfeed on the ^{▼▼ Or sin offering}sin of My people
And ^addirect their desire toward their iniquity.
9 And it will be, like people, ^aelike priest;
So I will ^afpunish them for their ways
And repay them for their deeds.
10 ^agThey will eat, but not have enough;
They will ^ahplay the harlot, but not increase,
Because they have ^{▼▼ Lit forsaken giving heed; or forsaken the Lord to practice (v 11) harlotry
,} ^ajstopped giving heed to the Lord.

11 Harlotry, ^akwine and new wine take away the ^{▼▼ Lit heart}understanding.
12 My people ^amconsult their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand informs them;
For a spirit of harlotry has led them astray,
And they have played the harlot, departing ^{▼▼ Lit from under}from their God.
13 They offer sacrifices on the ^aotops of the mountains
And ^{▼▼ Or offer sacrifices
,} ^aqburn incense on the hills,
^arUnder oak, poplar and terebinth,
Because their shade is pleasant.
Therefore your daughters play the harlot
And your ^{▼▼ Or daughters-in-law}brides commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot
Or your ^{▼▼ Or daughters-in-law}brides when they commit adultery,
For the men themselves go apart with harlots
And offer sacrifices with ^autemple prostitutes;
So the people without understanding are ^{▼▼ Lit thrust down}ruined.

15 Though you, Israel, play the harlot,
Do not let Judah become guilty;
Also do not go to ^awGilgal,
Or go up to Beth-aven
^axAnd take the oath:
“As the Lord lives!”
16 Since Israel is ^aystubborn
Like a stubborn heifer,
^{▼▼ Or Now the Lord will pasture...field}Can the Lord now ^bapasture them
Like a lamb in a large field?
17 Ephraim is joined to ^bbidols;
^bcLet him alone.
18 Their liquor gone,
They play the harlot continually;
^bdTheir ^{▼▼ Lit shields}rulers dearly love shame.
19 ^bfThe wind wraps them in its wings,
And they will be ashamed because of their sacrifices.