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Hosea 4

Hear the word of the Lord, Israelites, because the Lord has a case against those who live in the land. There is no truth, no mercy and no knowledge of God in the land. There is swearing and lying and killing and stealing and adultery. They break out, and one act of bloodshed follows another. So the land mourns, and everyone living in it w

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No knowing God in the land

Hear the word of the Lord, Israelites, because the Lord has a case against those who live in the land. There is no truth, no mercy and no knowledge of God in the land. There is swearing and lying and killing and stealing and adultery. They break out, and one act of bloodshed follows another. So the land mourns, and everyone living in it wastes away, along with the animals of the field and the birds of the sky. Even the fish of the sea are swept away. But let no man bring a case, and let no man argue, because your people are like those who bring a case against a priest. So you will stumble by day, and the prophet will stumble with you by night, and I will destroy your mother. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you as a priest to me. And because you have forgotten the law of your God, I will forget your children. The more they increased, the more they sinned against me. So I will turn their glory into shame. They feed on the sin of my people and set their hearts on their guilt. So it will be: like people, like priest. I will punish them for their ways and pay them back for what they do. They will eat and not have enough. They will be sexually unfaithful and not increase, because they have given up on the Lord. Prostitution and wine and new wine take a man's sense away. My people consult a lump of wood, and their stick tells them what to do. The spirit of prostitution has led them astray, and they have gone whoring away from their God. They sacrifice on the mountain tops and burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because their shade is good. So your daughters will prostitute themselves, and your daughters-in-law will commit adultery. I won't punish your daughters when they act as prostitutes, or your sons' wives when they commit adultery — because the men themselves go off with prostitutes and sacrifice with temple prostitutes. A people with no understanding will come to grief. Though you prostitute yourself, Israel, don't let Judah become guilty. Don't come to Gilgal, don't go up to Bethaven, and don't swear, The Lord lives. Because Israel slides back like a backsliding heifer. Now the Lord will feed them like a lamb in a large place. Ephraim has thrown in his lot with idols. Leave him alone. Their drink has gone sour. They keep giving themselves to sexual immorality; her rulers dearly love shame. The wind has wrapped her in its wings, and they will be ashamed of their sacrifices.

Listen to the word of the Lord, you people of Israel. Because the Lord has a case with the people of the land, because there's no truth or mercy or knowing God in the land. There's swearing and lying and killing and stealing and breaking marriage. They break out, and blood touches blood. So the land will mourn, and everyone living in it will droop, with the animals of the field and the birds of the sky. And the fish of the sea will be taken away too. But don't let any man take it up or pull anyone else up. Because your people are like the ones who argue with the priest. So you'll fall in the daytime, and the prophet will fall with you in the night. And I'll wreck your mother. My people are wrecked for want of knowledge. Because you've knocked back knowledge, I'll knock you back from being a priest to me. Seeing you've forgotten the teaching of your God, I'll forget your children too. The more they grew, the more they sinned against me. So I'll turn their glory into shame. They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their wrongdoing. So it'll be the same for the people as for the priest. And I'll deal with them for their ways and pay them back for what they've done. Because they'll eat and not have enough. They'll go whoring and not grow, because they've stopped paying attention to the Lord. Whoring and wine and new wine take away the understanding. My people ask a bit of wood, and their stick tells them what to do. Because a spirit of whoring has led them astray, and they've gone whoring away from their God. They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because the shade of them is good. So your daughters will go whoring and your sons' wives will break their marriages. I won't deal with your daughters when they go whoring, or your sons' wives when they break their marriages. Because the men themselves go off with prostitutes and sacrifice with temple women. So the people with no understanding will fall. Though you go whoring, Israel, don't let Judah be guilty. And don't come to Gilgal or go up to Beth Aven. And don't swear: As surely as the Lord lives. Because Israel has turned back like a stubborn heifer. Now the Lord will feed them like a lamb in a wide place. Ephraim is joined to idols. Leave him alone. Their drink has gone sour. They've gone whoring and whoring. Her rulers love shame dearly. The wind has wrapped her up in its wings, and they'll be ashamed of their sacrifices.

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. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. 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. Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. 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. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. 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. Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart. 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. 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. 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. Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth. For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place. Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye. The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

1

Hear the word of the Lord, Israelites, because the Lord has a case against those who live in the land. There is no truth, no mercy and no knowledge of God in the land.

Plain English

Listen to the word of the Lord, you people of Israel. Because the Lord has a case with the people of the land, because there's no truth or mercy or knowing God in the land.

King James Version, 1611

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.

2

There is swearing and lying and killing and stealing and adultery. They break out, and one act of bloodshed follows another.

Plain English

There's swearing and lying and killing and stealing and breaking marriage. They break out, and blood touches blood.

King James Version, 1611

By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

3

So the land mourns, and everyone living in it wastes away, along with the animals of the field and the birds of the sky. Even the fish of the sea are swept away.

Plain English

So the land will mourn, and everyone living in it will droop, with the animals of the field and the birds of the sky. And the fish of the sea will be taken away too.

King James Version, 1611

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

But let no man bring a case, and let no man argue, because your people are like those who bring a case against a priest.

Plain English

But don't let any man take it up or pull anyone else up. Because your people are like the ones who argue with the priest.

King James Version, 1611

Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.

5

So you will stumble by day, and the prophet will stumble with you by night, and I will destroy your mother.

Plain English

So you'll fall in the daytime, and the prophet will fall with you in the night. And I'll wreck your mother.

King James Version, 1611

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 you have rejected knowledge, I reject you as a priest to me. And because you have forgotten the law of your God, I will forget your children.

Plain English

My people are wrecked for want of knowledge. Because you've knocked back knowledge, I'll knock you back from being a priest to me. Seeing you've forgotten the teaching of your God, I'll forget your children too.

King James Version, 1611

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

The more they increased, the more they sinned against me. So I will turn their glory into shame.

Plain English

The more they grew, the more they sinned against me. So I'll turn their glory into shame.

King James Version, 1611

As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.

8

They feed on the sin of my people and set their hearts on their guilt.

Plain English

They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their wrongdoing.

King James Version, 1611

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

9

So it will be: like people, like priest. I will punish them for their ways and pay them back for what they do.

Plain English

So it'll be the same for the people as for the priest. And I'll deal with them for their ways and pay them back for what they've done.

King James Version, 1611

And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

10

They will eat and not have enough. They will be sexually unfaithful and not increase, because they have given up on the Lord.

Plain English

Because they'll eat and not have enough. They'll go whoring and not grow, because they've stopped paying attention to the Lord.

King James Version, 1611

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

Prostitution and wine and new wine take a man's sense away.

Plain English

Whoring and wine and new wine take away the understanding.

King James Version, 1611

Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

12

My people consult a lump of wood, and their stick tells them what to do. The spirit of prostitution has led them astray, and they have gone whoring away from their God.

Plain English

My people ask a bit of wood, and their stick tells them what to do. Because a spirit of whoring has led them astray, and they've gone whoring away from their God.

King James Version, 1611

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.

13

They sacrifice on the mountain tops and burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because their shade is good. So your daughters will prostitute themselves, and your daughters-in-law will commit adultery.

Plain English

They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because the shade of them is good. So your daughters will go whoring and your sons' wives will break their marriages.

King James Version, 1611

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.

14

I won't punish your daughters when they act as prostitutes, or your sons' wives when they commit adultery — because the men themselves go off with prostitutes and sacrifice with temple prostitutes. A people with no understanding will come to grief.

Plain English

I won't deal with your daughters when they go whoring, or your sons' wives when they break their marriages. Because the men themselves go off with prostitutes and sacrifice with temple women. So the people with no understanding will fall.

King James Version, 1611

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.

15

Though you prostitute yourself, Israel, don't let Judah become guilty. Don't come to Gilgal, don't go up to Bethaven, and don't swear, The Lord lives.

Plain English

Though you go whoring, Israel, don't let Judah be guilty. And don't come to Gilgal or go up to Beth Aven. And don't swear: As surely as the Lord lives.

King James Version, 1611

Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.

16

Because Israel slides back like a backsliding heifer. Now the Lord will feed them like a lamb in a large place.

Plain English

Because Israel has turned back like a stubborn heifer. Now the Lord will feed them like a lamb in a wide place.

King James Version, 1611

For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

17

Ephraim has thrown in his lot with idols. Leave him alone.

Plain English

Ephraim is joined to idols. Leave him alone.

King James Version, 1611

Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

18

Their drink has gone sour. They keep giving themselves to sexual immorality; her rulers dearly love shame.

Plain English

Their drink has gone sour. They've gone whoring and whoring. Her rulers love shame dearly.

King James Version, 1611

Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.

19

The wind has wrapped her in its wings, and they will be ashamed of their sacrifices.

Plain English

The wind has wrapped her up in its wings, and they'll be ashamed of their sacrifices.

King James Version, 1611

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