Hosea 4 · Clearspring

God’s Case against His People

¹Give ear to the word of the Lord, O children of Israel; for the Lord has a cause against the people of this land, because there is no good faith in it, and no mercy and no knowledge of God in the land.+ ²There is cursing and broken faith, violent death and attacks on property, men are untrue in married life, houses are broken into, and there is blood touching blood.+ ³Because of this the land will be dry, and everyone living in it will be wasted away, with the beasts of the field and the birds of heaven; even the fishes of the sea will be taken away.+ ⁴Let no man go to law or make protests, for your people are like those who go to law with a priest.+ ⁵You will not be able to keep on your feet by day, and by night the prophet will be falling down with you, and I will give your mother to destruction.+ ⁶Destruction has overtaken my people because they have no knowledge; because you have given up knowledge, I will give you up, so that you will be no priest to me, because you have not kept in mind the law of your God, I will not keep your children in my memory.+ ⁷Even while they were increasing in number they were sinning against me; I will let their glory be changed into shame.+ ⁸The sin of my people is like food to them; and their desire is for their wrongdoing.+ ⁹And the priest will be like the people; I will give them punishment for their evil ways, and the reward of their acts.+ ¹⁰They will have food, but they will not be full; they will be false to me, but they will not be increased, because they no longer give thought to the Lord.+ ¹¹Loose ways and new wine take away wisdom.+ ¹²My people get knowledge from their tree, and their rod gives them news; for a false spirit is the cause of their wandering, and they have been false to their God.+ ¹³They make offerings on the tops of mountains, burning perfumes in high places, under trees of every sort, because their shade is good: and so your daughters are given up to loose ways and your brides are false to their husbands.+ ¹⁴I will not give punishment to your daughters or your brides for their evil behaviour; for they make themselves separate with loose women, and make offerings with those who are used for sex purposes in the worship of the gods: the people who have no wisdom will be sent away.+ ¹⁵Do not you, O Israel, come into error; do not you, O Judah, come to Gilgal, or go up to Beth-aven, or take an oath, By the living Lord.+ ¹⁶For Israel is uncontrolled, like a cow which may not be controlled; now will the Lord give them food like a lamb in a wide place.+ ¹⁷Ephraim is joined to false gods; let him be.+ ¹⁸Their drink has become bitter; they are completely false; her rulers take pleasure in shame.+ ¹⁹They are folded in the skirts of the wind; they will be shamed because of their offerings.+

God’s Case against His People

Study Hosea 4