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Hosea 4
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.
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 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: 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 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 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 that doth not
understand shall fall.
15 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 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD
will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.
18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually:
her rulers 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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