Hoshĕa (Hosea) 4
4
1Hear the word of יהוה, you children of Yisra’ĕl, for יהוה has a case against the inhabitants of the land: “For there is no truth or loving-commitment or knowledge of Elohim in the land.
2“Swearing, and lying, and murdering, and stealing, and committing adultery have increased. And bloodshed follows bloodshed.
3“Therefore the land mourns, and everyone living there languishes, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens. And the fish of the sea are taken away.
4“However, let no one strive or reprove another, for your people are like those striving with a priest.
5“And you shall stumble in the day, and the prophet shall also stumble with you in the night. And I shall make your mother perish.
6“My people have perished for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being priest for Me. Since you have forgotten the Torah of your Elohim, I also forget your children.
7“As they were increased, so they sinned against Me. My esteem they have changed into shame.
8“They eat the sin of My people, and lift up their desire to their crookedness.
9“And it shall be: like people, like priest. And I shall punish them for their ways, and reward them for their deeds.
10“And they shall eat but not be satisfied, they shall whore but not increase, for they have stopped obeying יהוה.
11“Whoring, and wine, and new wine enslave the heart.
12“My people ask from their Wood, and their Staff declares to them. For a spirit of whorings has led them astray, and they went whoring from under their Elohim.
13“They slaughter on the mountaintops, and burn incense on the hills, under oak and poplars and terebinth, because its shade is good. Therefore your daughters commit whoring, and your brides commit adultery.
14“I would not punish your daughters when they commit whoring, nor your brides when they commit adultery, for the men themselves go aside with whores, and slaughter with cult prostitutes – a people that do not understand are thrust down!
15“Though you are a whore, Yisra’ĕl, let not Yehuḏah become guilty. Do not come up to Gilgal, nor go up to Bĕyth Awen, nor swear an oath, saying, ‘As יהוה lives!’
16“For Yisra’ĕl is stubborn, like a stubborn calf. Would יהוה now feed them like a lamb in a broad place?
17“Ephrayim is joined to idols, let him alone.
18“Their drink is sour, they have whored continually. Her rulers wildly loved shame.
19“A wind has bound her up in its wings, and they are ashamed because of their slaughterings.
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Hoshĕa (Hosea) 4: TS2009
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Hosea 4
4
Israel Is Unfaithful
1Israel, listen
as the Lord accuses
everyone in the land!
No one is faithful or loyal
or truly cares about God.
2Cursing, dishonesty, murder,
robbery, unfaithfulness—
these happen all the time.
Violence is everywhere.
3And so your land is a desert.
Every living creature is dying—
people and wild animals,
birds and fish.
The Lord Warns the Priests
4Don't accuse just anyone!
Not everyone is at fault.
My case is against you,
the priests.#4.4 priests: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 4. Hosea may have had in mind only one priest, possibly the chief priest.
5You and the prophets
will stumble day and night;
I'll silence your mothers.
6You priests have rejected me,
and my people are destroyed
by refusing to obey.
Now I'll reject you and forget
your children, because you
have forgotten my Law.
7By adding more of you priests,
you multiply the number
of people who sin.
Now I'll change your pride
into shame.
8You encourage others to sin,
so you can stuff yourselves
on their sin offerings.
9That's why I will punish
the people for their deeds,
just as I will punish
you priests.
10Their food won't satisfy,
and having sex at pagan shrines
won't produce children.
My people have rebelled
11and have been unfaithful
to me, their Lord.
God Condemns Israel's Idolatry
My people, you are foolish
because of too much pleasure
and too much wine.
12You expect wooden idols
and other objects of wood
to give you advice.
Lusting for sex at pagan shrines
has made you unfaithful
to me, your God.
13You offer sacrifices
on mountaintops and hills,
under oak trees, and wherever
good shade is found.
Your own daughters
and daughters-in-law
sell themselves for sex.
14But I won't punish them.
You men are to blame,
because you go to prostitutes
and offer sacrifices with them
at pagan shrines.
Your own foolishness
will lead to your ruin.
15Israel, you are unfaithful,
but don't lead Judah to sin.
Stop worshiping at Gilgal
or at sinful Bethel.#4.15 sinful Bethel: The Hebrew text has “Beth-Aven,” which means “house of sin” or “house of nothing,” referring to “Bethel,” which means “house of God.”
And quit making promises
in my name—the name
of the living Lord.
16You are nothing more
than a stubborn cow—
so stubborn that I, the Lord,
cannot feed you like lambs
in an open pasture.
17You people of Israel#4.17 Israel: The Hebrew text has “Ephraim,” the leading tribe of the northern kingdom of Israel, which sometimes stands for the whole kingdom.
are charmed by#4.17 charmed by: Or “joined to.” idols.
Leave those people alone!
18You get drunk, then sleep
with prostitutes;
you would rather be vulgar
than lead a decent life.#4.18 life: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 18.
19And so you will be swept away#4.19 And so … swept away: Or “And so you will be ashamed.”
in a whirlwind
for sacrificing to idols.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.