Hosea 4:1-9 ▼

1 Hear the word of the LORD, O people of Israel; for the LORD has an indictment against the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or loyalty, and no knowledge of God in the land.

2 Swearing, lying, and murder, and stealing and adultery break out; bloodshed follows bloodshed.

3 Therefore the land mourns, and all who live in it languish; together with the wild animals and the birds of the air, even the fish of the sea are perishing.

4 Yet let no one contend, and let none accuse, for with you is my contention, O priest.

5 You shall stumble by day; the prophet also shall stumble with you by night, and I will destroy your mother.

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since 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; they changed their glory into shame.

8 They feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for their iniquity.

9 And it shall be like people, like priest; I will punish them for their ways, and repay them for their deeds.