Hosea4

Hosea 4 opens with God's controversy against Israel for their pervasive lack of truth, mercy, and knowledge of God, manifested in widespread sin. The nation, including its priests, is depicted as being destroyed for rejecting divine knowledge and engaging in spiritual whoredom and idolatry. Consequently, both the land and its people face severe judgment, as their glory will be turned to shame.

The LORD’s Controversy with Israel

1
Heare the worde of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the lande, because there is no trueth nor mercie nor knowledge of God in the lande.
2
By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and whoring they breake out, and blood toucheth blood.
3
Therefore shall the land mourne, and euery one that dwelleth therein, shall be cut off, with the beasts of the fielde, and with the foules of the heauen, and also the fishes of the sea shall be taken away.

The Failure of the Priests and People

4
Yet let none rebuke, nor reproue another: for thy people are as they that rebuke the Priest.
5
Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the Prophet shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.
6
My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge: because thou hast refused knowledge, I will also refuse thee, that thou shalt be no Priest to me: and seeing thou hast forgotten the Lawe of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Judgment on the Corrupt Leaders

7
As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I chaunge their glorie into shame.
8
They eate vp the sinnes of my people, and lift vp their mindes in their iniquitie.
9
And there shalbe like people, like Priest: for I wil visite their wayes vpon them, and reward them their deedes.
10
For they shall eate, and not haue ynough: they shall commit adulterie, and shall not increase, because they haue left off to take heede to ye Lord.

Idolatry and Spiritual Harlotry

11
Whoredome, and wine, and newe wine take away their heart.
12
My people aske counsell at their stockes, and their staffe teacheth them: for the spirite of fornications hath caused them to erre, and they haue gone a whoring from vnder their God.
13
They sacrifice vpon the toppes of ye mountaines, and burne incense vpon the hilles vnder the okes, and the poplar tree, and the elme, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall be harlots, and your spouses shall be whores.
14
I will not visite your daughters when they are harlots: nor your spouses when they are whores: for they themselues are separated with harlots, and sacrifice with whores: therefore the people that doeth not vnderstand, shall fall.

A Warning to Judah

15
Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Iudah sinne: come not ye vnto Gilgal, neither goe ye vp to Beth-auen, nor sweare, The Lord liueth.
16
For Israel is rebellious as an vnruly heyfer. Nowe the Lord will feede them as a lambe in a large place.
17
Ephraim is ioyned to idoles: let him alone.
18
Their drunkennes stinketh: they haue committed whoredome: their rulers loue to say with shame, Bring ye.
19
The winde hath bounde them vp in her wings, and they shalbe ashamed of their sacrifices.
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