HO-4:1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the

LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land,

because [there is] no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in

the land.

HO-4:2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and

committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

HO-4:3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that

dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field,

and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also

shall be taken away.

HO-4:4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy

people [are] as they that strive with the priest.

HO-4:5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet

also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy

mother.

HO-4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because

thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou

shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of

thy God, I will also forget thy children.

HO-4:7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me:

[therefore] will I change their glory into shame.

HO-4:8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their

heart on their iniquity.

HO-4:9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will

punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

HO-4:10 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 the LORD.

HO-4:11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

HO-4:12 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.

HO-4:13 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.

HO-4:14 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.

HO-4:15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, [yet] let not

Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to

Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.

HO-4:16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the

LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

HO-4:17 Ephraim [is] joined to idols: let him alone.

HO-4:18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom

continually: her rulers [with] shame do love, Give ye.

HO-4:19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall

be ashamed because of their sacrifices. 

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