KJ3 Literal Translation
Hosea 4
Jehovah's judgments against the sins of the people and against their idolatry.
1Sons of Israel, hear the Word of Jehovah, for Jehovah has a quarrel with those living in the land; for there is no truth, and no mercy, and no knowledge of God in the land.
2Swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and the doing of adultery increase. And blood touches against blood.
3On account of this the land shall mourn, and every one living in it shall droop, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven; yes, also the fish of the sea shall be removed.
4Yet let not a man strive with nor reprove a man. For your people are as those striving with a priest.
5And you shall stumble in the day, and the prophet also shall stumble with you at night, and I will cut off your mother.
6My people are cut off for lack of knowledge; because you rejected the knowledge, I also rejected you from being priest to Me. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I will forget your sons, even I.
7As they were increased, so they sinned against Me. I will change their glory into shame.
8They eat up the sin of My people, and they lift their soul to their iniquity.
9And it will be, Like people, like priest. And I will visit their ways on them and their doings I will return to them.
10For they shall eat and not have enough. They shall fornicate and not increase, because they have ceased heeding Jehovah.
11Fornication and wine and new wine take away the heart.
12My people seek advice by their wood, and their rod declares to them. For the spirit of fornication has led them astray, and they fornicated from under their God.
13They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burn incense on the hills, under oak and poplar and terebinth trees, because its shade is good. On account of this, your daughters shall be prostitutes, and your brides shall commit adultery.
14I will not punish your daughters when they fornicate, and not your brides when they commit adultery. For they themselves go apart with ones who prostitute, and they sacrifice with temple prostitutes. The people not understanding are thrust down.
15Israel, though you fornicate, do not let Judah become guilty. And do not come to Gilgal, and not go up to Beth-aven, and not swear, As Jehovah lives.
16For as a heifer, rebelling Israel rebels. Now Jehovah will feed them as a lamb in a roomy place.
17Ephraim is joined to idols. Let him alone.
18Their drink has turned them aside; fornicating they fornicate; her shields dearly love shame.
19The wind binds her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
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