Hosea 4

1 Hear the word of יהוה, you children of Yisrael, for יהוה hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God (Elohim) in the land.

2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of sky; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another, for your people are as they that strive with the kohen.

5 Therefore shalt you fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with you in the night, and I will destroy your mother.

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shalt be no priest (kohen) to Me; seeing you have forgotten the Torah of your God (Elohim), I will also forget your children.

7 As they were increased, so they sinned against Me; therefore will I change their glory into shame.

8 They eat up the sin of My people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.

9 And there shall be, like people, like priest (kohen); and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

10 For they shall eat, and not have enough; they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase; because they have left off to take heed to יהוה.

11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

12 My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God (Elohim).

13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good; therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery; for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots; therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.

15 Though you, Yisrael, play the harlot, yet let not Judah (Yehudah) offend; and come not you unto Gilgal, neither go you up to House of Vanity (Beit Awen), nor swear, ‘יהוה liveth’.

16 For Yisrael slideth back as a backsliding heifer; now יהוה will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

17 Efrayim is joined to idols; let him alone.

18 Their drink is sour; they have committed whoredom continually; her rulers dearly love shame.

19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.