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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Hosea 4</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/bsb/spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/hosea/4.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc//hosea/4-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="/hosea/">Hosea</a> > Hosea 4</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../hosea/3.htm" title="Hosea 3">◄</a> Hosea 4 <a href="../hosea/5.htm" title="Hosea 5">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div align="center" id="jump2"><a href="/niv/hosea/4.htm">NIV</a> • <a href="/nlt/hosea/4.htm">NLT</a> • <a href="/esv/hosea/4.htm">ESV</a> • <a href="/kjv/hosea/4.htm">KJV</a> • <a href="/nkjv/hosea/4.htm">NKJ</a> • <a href="/nasb/hosea/4.htm">NAS</a></div><br /><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="1%" valign="top">BSB</td><td width="99%" valign="top" align="right"><a href="/parallel/hosea/4.htm" style="font-weight:normal" title="Parallel Chapters">Parallel Chapters ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><A name="2"></a><p class="hdg">God’s Case against His People<p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Hear the word of the LORD, <p class="indent2"> O children of Israel, <p class="indent1"> for the LORD has a case <p class="indent2"> against the people of the land: <p class="indent1stline">“There is no truth, no loving devotion, <p class="indent2"> and no knowledge of God in the land! <A name="3"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>Cursing and lying, <p class="indent2"> murder and stealing, <p class="indent1"> and adultery are rampant; <p class="indent2"> one act of bloodshed follows another. <A name="4"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Therefore the land mourns, <p class="indent2"> and all who dwell in it will waste away <p class="indent1"> with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; <p class="indent2"> even the fish of the sea disappear. <A name="5"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>But let no man contend; <p class="indent2"> let no man offer reproof; <p class="indent1"> for your people are like those <p class="indent2"> who contend with a priest.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">a</a></span> <A name="6"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>You will stumble by day, <p class="indent2"> and the prophet will stumble with you by night; <p class="indent2"> so I will destroy your mother— <A name="7"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>My people are destroyed <p class="indent2"> for lack of knowledge. <p class="indent1"> Because you have rejected knowledge, <p class="indent2"> I will also reject you as My priests. <p class="indent1"> Since you have forgotten the law of your God, <p class="indent2"> I will also forget your children. <A name="8"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>The more they multiplied, <p class="indent2"> the more they sinned against Me; <p class="indent1"> they exchanged their Glory<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">b</a></span> <p class="indent2"> for a thing of disgrace. <A name="9"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>They feed on the sins<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">c</a></span> of My people <p class="indent2"> and set their hearts on iniquity. <A name="10"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>And it shall be <p class="indent2"> like people, like priest. <p class="indent1"> I will punish both of them for their ways <p class="indent2"> and repay them for their deeds. <A name="11"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>They will eat but not be satisfied; <p class="indent2"> they will be promiscuous but not multiply. <p class="indent2"> For they have stopped obeying the LORD. <A name="12"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Promiscuity, wine, and new wine <p class="indent2"> take away understanding. <A name="13"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>My people consult their wooden idols, <p class="indent2"> and their divining rods inform them. <p class="indent1"> For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray <p class="indent2"> and they have played the harlot against their God. <A name="14"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>They sacrifice on the mountaintops <p class="indent2"> and burn offerings on the hills, <p class="indent1"> under oak, poplar, and terebinth, <p class="indent2"> because their shade is pleasant. <p class="indent1"> And so your daughters turn to prostitution <p class="indent2"> and your daughters-in-law to adultery. <A name="15"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>I will not punish your daughters <p class="indent2"> when they prostitute themselves, <p class="indent1"> nor your daughters-in-law <p class="indent2"> when they commit adultery. <p class="indent1"> For the men themselves go off with prostitutes <p class="indent2"> and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. <p class="indent1"> So a people without understanding <p class="indent2"> will come to ruin. <A name="16"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, <p class="indent2"> may Judah avoid such guilt! <p class="indent1"> Do not journey to Gilgal, <p class="indent2"> do not go up to Beth-aven,<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">d</a></span> <p class="indent1"> and do not swear on oath, <p class="indent2">‘As surely as the LORD lives!’ <A name="17"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>For Israel is as obstinate <p class="indent2"> as a stubborn heifer. <p class="indent1"> Can the LORD now shepherd them <p class="indent2"> like lambs in an open meadow? <A name="18"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>Ephraim<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">e</a></span> is joined to idols; <p class="indent2"> leave him alone! <A name="19"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>When their liquor is gone, <p class="indent2"> they turn to prostitution; <p class="indent2"> their rulers<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">f</a></span> dearly love disgrace. <p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/hosea/4-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>The whirlwind has wrapped them<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">g</a></span> in its wings, <p class="indent2"> and their sacrifices will bring them shame.</p><A name="fn"></a><div id="fnlink"><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:</b><br><br><span class="fnverse">4</span> <span class="footnotesbot">a</span> Or <i>for My case is against you, O priests</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">7</span> <span class="footnotesbot">b</span> Or <i>they exchanged their glorious God</i><span class="thin"> </span> (Syriac); MT <i>I will exchange their glory</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">8</span> <span class="footnotesbot">c</span> Or <i>the sin offerings</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">15</span> <span class="footnotesbot">d</span> <i>Beth-aven</i><span class="thin"> </span> means <i>house of wickedness</i><span class="thin"> </span>. This is a derogatory term for Bethel, which means <i>house of God</i><span class="thin"> </span>; see <a href="../1_kings/12.htm#28">1 Kings 12:28–29</a>.<br><span class="fnverse">17</span> <span class="footnotesbot">e</span> That is, the northern kingdom of Israel<br><span class="fnverse">18</span> <span class="footnotesbot">f</span> Hebrew <i>her shields</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">19</span> <span class="footnotesbot">g</span> Hebrew <i>has wrapped her</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><br /></div><br /></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Berean Bible (<a href=http://berean.bible>www.Berean.Bible</a>) <a href=http://bereanbible.com>Berean Study Bible (BSB)</a> © 2016, 2020 by <a href=http://biblehub.com>Bible Hub</a> and <a href=http://berean.bible>Berean.Bible</a>. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. 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