Hos 4 | LSB | STEP | Listen to the word of Yahweh, O sons of Israel, For Yahweh has a contention against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no truth or lovingkindness Or knowledge of God in the land.

Hosea 4

Yahweh’s Contention with Israel

1 Listen to the word of Yahweh, O sons of Israel,
For Yahweh has a contention against the inhabitants of the land,
Because there is no truth or ^{▼▼Or loyalty}lovingkindness
Or knowledge of God in the land.
2 There is swearing of oaths, deception, murder, stealing, and adultery.
They break forth in violence so that bloodshed ^{▼▼Lit touches}follows bloodshed.
3 Therefore the land mourns,
And everyone who inhabits it languishes
Along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky,
And also the fish of the sea ^{▼▼Lit are gathered up}disappear.
4 Yet let no man contend, and let no man offer reproof;
Indeed, your people are like those who contend with the priest.
5 So you will stumble by day,
And the prophet also will stumble with you by night;
And I will destroy your mother.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from ministering as My priest.
Since you have forgotten the law of your God,
I Myself also will forget your children.
7 The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me;
I will change their glory into disgrace.
8 They eat the ^{▼▼Or sin offering}sin of My people
And lift up ^{▼▼Lit his}their soul toward their iniquity.
9 And it will be like people, like priest;
So I will punish them for their ways
And cause their deeds to return to them.
10 They will eat, but not be satisfied;
They will play the harlot, but not break forth in number,
Because they have ^{▼▼Or forsaken Yahweh to practice (v 11) harlotry; lit forsaken giving heed}forsaken Yahweh to keep harlotry.
11 Harlotry, wine, and new wine take away a heart of wisdom.
12 My people ask their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand declares to 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 tops of the mountains
And ^{▼▼Or offer sacrifices}burn incense on the hills,
Under oak, poplar, and terebinth
Because their shade is good.
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 cult 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 Gilgal
Nor go up to Beth-aven
And swear the oath:
“As Yahweh lives!”
16 Since Israel is stubborn
Like a stubborn heifer,
^{▼▼ Or Now Yahweh will pasture...field}Can Yahweh now feed them
Like a lamb in a large field?
17 Ephraim is joined to idols;
Let him alone.
18 Their drink gone;
They play the harlot continually;
Their ^{▼▼Lit shields}rulers dearly love disgrace.
19 The wind binds them up in its wings,
And they will be ashamed because of their sacrifices.