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NASB Bible

Hosea 4

God's Controversy with Israel

1

 aListen to the word of the LORD, O sons of Israel, For the LORD has a  bcase against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is  cno  1faithfulness or  2kindness Or  dknowledge of God in the land.

2

There is  aswearing,  bdeception,  cmurder,  dstealing and  eadultery. They employ violence, so that  fbloodshed  1follows bloodshed.

3

Therefore the land  amourns, And everyone who lives in it languishes Along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky, And also the fish of the sea  1disappear.

4

Yet let no one  1 afind fault, and let none offer reproof; For your people are like those who  bcontend with the priest.

5

So you will  astumble by day, And the prophet also will stumble with you by night; And I will destroy your  bmother.

6

 aMy people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have  brejected knowledge, I also will  creject you from being My priest. Since you have  dforgotten the  elaw of your God, I also will forget your children.

7

The more they  amultiplied, the more they sinned against Me; I will  bchange their glory into shame.

8

They  afeed on the  1sin of My people And  bdirect their desire toward their iniquity.

9

And it will be, like people,  alike priest; So I will  bpunish them for their ways And repay them for their deeds.

10

 aThey will eat, but not have enough; They will  bplay the harlot, but not increase, Because they have  1 cstopped giving heed to the LORD.

11

Harlotry,  awine and new wine take away the  1understanding.

12

My people  aconsult their wooden idol, and their diviner's wand informs them; For a spirit of harlotry has led them astray, And they have played the harlot, departing  1from their God.

13

They offer sacrifices on the  atops of the mountains And  1 bburn incense on the hills,  cUnder oak, poplar and terebinth, Because their shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters play the harlot And your  2brides commit adultery.

14

I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot Or your  1brides when they commit adultery, For the men themselves go apart with harlots And offer sacrifices with  atemple prostitutes; So the people without understanding are  2ruined.

15

Though you, Israel, play the harlot, Do not let Judah become guilty; Also do not go to  aGilgal, Or go up to Beth-aven  bAnd take the oath: "As the LORD lives!"

16

Since Israel is  astubborn Like a stubborn heifer,  1Can the LORD now  bpasture them Like a lamb in a large field?

17

Ephraim is joined to  aidols;  bLet him alone.

18

Their liquor gone, They play the harlot continually;  aTheir  1rulers dearly love shame.

19

 aThe wind wraps them in its wings, And they will be ashamed because of their sacrifices.



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(Produced: Sat Dec 22 11:23:59 2007)

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