Hosea 4

1 Listen to the word of the Lord, sons of Israel, for the Lord is judge of the inhabitants of the land. Yet there is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no knowledge of God, in the land.

Hear the word of Yahweh, you people of Israel. Yahweh has a lawsuit against the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truthfulness or covenantal faithfulness, no knowledge of God in the land.

2 Slander, and lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery have overflowed, and bloodshed has brought more bloodshed.

There is cursing, lying, killing, stealing and adultery. The people have broken all bounds, and bloodshed comes after bloodshed.

3 Because of this, the land will mourn, and all who dwell in it will languish, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. And the fishes of the sea also will be gathered together.

So the land is drying up, and everyone living in it is wasting away; the beasts in the fields and the birds in the sky, even the fish in the sea, are being taken away.

4 So, truly, let each and every one not judge, and let no man be accused, for your people are just like those who speak against the priesthood.

But do not allow anyone to bring a lawsuit; do not let anyone accuse anyone else. For it is you, the priests, whom I am accusing.

5 And you will be ruined on this day, and now the prophet will be ruined with you. In the night, I have made your mother to be silent.

You priests will stumble during the day; the prophets will also stumble with you by night, and I will destroy your mother.

6 My people have become silent because they had no knowledge. Since you have rejected knowledge, I will drive you away; you do not perform the duties of the priesthood for me, and you have forgotten the law of your God, and so I will forget your sons.

My people are being destroyed because of the lack of knowledge. Because you priests have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as priests to me. Because you have forgotten my law, although I am your God, I also will forget your children.

7 According to the multitude of them, so have they sinned against me. I will change their glory into disgrace.

The more the priests multiplied, the more they sinned against me. They exchanged their honor for shame.

8 They will devour the sins of my people, and they will lift up their souls towards their iniquity.

They feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for more of their wickedness.

9 And, just as it is with the people, so will it be with the priest; and I will visit their ways upon them, and I will repay them for their intentions.

It will be the same for the people as for the priests: I will punish them all for their practices; I will repay them for their deeds.

10 And they will eat and not be satisfied. They have been committing fornication, and they did not cease. Since they have abandoned the Lord, they will not be safeguarded.

They will eat but not have enough; they will commit prostitution but not increase, because they have gone far away from Yahweh.

11 Fornication, and wine, and drunkenness, have taken away their heart.

They love sexual promiscuity, wine, and new wine, which have taken away their understanding.

12 My people have inquired of their stave, and their staff has announced to them. For the spirit of fornication has deceived them, and they have been fornicating before their God.

My people consult their wooden idols, and their walking sticks give them prophecies. For a mind of promiscuity has misled them, and they have acted as prostitutes instead of being faithful to their God.

13 They have offered sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burnt incense on the hills, under the oak, and the poplar, and the terebinth tree, because its shadow was good; therefore, your daughters will commit fornication and your spouses will be adulteresses.

They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burn incense on the hills, under oaks, poplars and terebinths, because the shade is good. So your daughters commit sexual immorality, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

14 I will not send afflictions on your daughters, when they will commit fornication, nor on your spouses, when they will commit adultery, because you yourselves have associated with harlots and have offered sacrifice with the effeminate, and because the people who do not understand will be defeated.

I will not punish your daughters when they choose to commit sexual immorality, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men also give themselves to the prostitutes, and they offer sacrifices so they can commit immoral acts with sacred prostitutes. So this people who does not understand will be thrown down.

15 If you commit fornication, Israel, at least let Judah not commit offenses; and do not be willing to enter into Gilgal, nor to ascend to Bethaven, and neither should you swear, “As the Lord lives.”

Though you, Israel, have committed adultery, may Judah not become guilty. Do not go to Gilgal, you people; do not go up to Beth Aven, and do not swear, saying, “As Yahweh lives.”

16 For Israel has gone astray like a wanton heifer; so now the Lord will pasture them like a young lamb in a wide expanse.

For Israel has behaved stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer. How can Yahweh bring them to pasture like lambs in a meadow?

17 Ephraim participates in idolatry, so send him away.

Ephraim united himself with idols; leave him alone.

18 Their feasting has been set aside; they have committed fornication after fornication. They love to bring disgrace to their protectors.

Even when their strong drink is gone, they continue to commit adultery; her rulers dearly love their shame.

19 The wind has fastened them to its wings, and they will be confounded because of their sacrifices.

The wind will wrap her up in its wings; and they will be ashamed because of their sacrifices.