Oséias 4

God’s Charge Against Israel

1 Hear the word of the Lord,

You children of Israel,

For the Lordbrings a *Is. 1:18; Hos. 12:2; Mic. 6:2charge against the inhabitants of the land:

"There is no truth or mercy

Or *Jer. 4:22knowledge of God in the land.

2 By swearing and lying,

Killing and stealing and committing adultery,

They break all restraint,

With bloodshed upon bloodshed.

3 Therefore *Is. 24:4; 33:9; Jer. 4:28; 12:4; Amos 5:16; 8:8the land will mourn;

And *Zeph. 1:3everyone who dwells there will waste away

With the beasts of the field

And the birds of the air;

Even the fish of the sea will be taken away.

4 "Now let no man contend, or rebuke another;

For your people are like those *Deut. 17:12who contend with the priest.

5 Therefore you shall stumble *Jer. 15:8; Hos. 2:2, 5in the day;

The prophet also shall stumble with you in the night;

And I will destroy your mother.

6 *Is. 5:13My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Because you have rejected knowledge,

I also will reject you from being priest for Me;

*Ezek. 22:26Because you have forgotten the law of your God,

I also will forget your children.

7 "The more they increased,

The more they sinned against Me;

*1 Sam. 2:30; Mal. 2:9I will change their glory into shame.

8 They eat up the sin of My people;

They set their heart on their iniquity.

9 And it shall be: *Is. 24:2; Jer. 5:30, 31; 2 Tim. 4:3, 4like people, like priest.

So I will punish them for their ways,

And reward them for their deeds.

10 For *Lev. 26:26; Is. 65:13; Mic. 6:14; Hag. 1:6they shall eat, but not have enough;

They shall commit harlotry, but not increase;

Because they have ceased obeying the Lord.

The Idolatry of Israel

11 "Harlotry, wine, and new wine *Prov. 20:1; Is. 5:12; 28:7enslave the heart.

12 My people ask counsel from their *Jer. 2:27wooden idols,

And their staff informs them.

For *Is. 44:19, 20the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray,

And they have played the harlot against their God.

13 *Is. 1:29; 57:5, 7; Jer. 2:20; Ezek. 6:13; 20:28They offer sacrifices on the mountaintops,

And burn incense on the hills,

Under oaks, poplars, and terebinths,

Because their shade is good.

*Amos 7:17; (Rom. 1:28–32)Therefore your daughters commit harlotry,

And your brides commit adultery.

14 "I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry,

Nor your brides when they commit adultery;

For themen themselves go apart with harlots,

And offer sacrifices with a *Deut. 23:18ritual harlot.

Therefore people who do not understand will be trampled.

15 "Though you, Israel, play the harlot,

Let not Judah offend.

*Hos. 9:15; 12:11Do not come up to Gilgal,

Nor go up to *1 Kin. 12:29; Josh. 7:2; Hos. 10:8Beth Aven,

*Jer. 5:2; 44:26; Amos 8:14Nor swear an oath, saying, ‘As the Lord lives’—

16 "For Israel *Jer. 3:6; 7:24; 8:5; Zech. 7:11is stubborn

Like a stubborn calf;

Now the Lord will let them forage

Like a lamb in open country.

17 "Ephraim is joined to idols,

*Matt. 15:14Let him alone.

18 Their drink is rebellion,

They commit harlotry continually.

*Mic. 3:11Her rulers dearly love dishonor.

19 *Jer. 51:1The wind has wrapped her up in its wings,

And *Is. 1:29they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.