Parallel
Hosea 4
World English Bible British Edition · Berean Standard Bible
Hear the LORD’s word, you children of Israel,
Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land!
There is cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery;
Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.
Therefore the land will mourn,
Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea disappear.
“Yet let no man bring a charge, neither let any man accuse;
But let no man contend; let no man offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend with a priest (note: Or for My case is against you, O priests).
You will stumble in the day,
You will stumble by day, and the prophet will stumble with you by night; so I will destroy your mother—
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.
As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me.
The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; they exchanged their Glory (note: Or they exchanged their glorious God (Syriac); MT I will exchange their glory) for a thing of disgrace.
They feed on the sin of my people,
They feed on the sins (note: Or the sin offerings) of My people and set their hearts on iniquity.
It will be like people, like priest;
And it shall be like people, like priest. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.
They will eat, and not have enough.
They will eat but not be satisfied; they will be promiscuous but not multiply. For they have abandoned the LORD to give themselves
Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away understanding.
to promiscuity, wine, and new wine, which take away understanding.
My people consult with their wooden idol,
My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God.
They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains,
They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery.
I will not punish your daughters when they play the prostitute,
I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people without understanding will come to ruin.
“Though you, Israel, play the prostitute,
Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven (note: Beth-aven means house of wickedness. This is a derogatory term for Bethel, which means house of God; see 1 Kings 12:28–29.), and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’
For Israel has behaved extremely stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer.
For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow?
Ephraim is joined to idols.
Ephraim (note: That is, the northern kingdom of Israel) is joined to idols; leave him alone!
Their drink has become sour.
When their liquor is gone, they turn to prostitution; their rulers (note: Hebrew her shields) dearly love disgrace.
The wind has wrapped her up in its wings;
The whirlwind has wrapped them (note: Hebrew has wrapped her) in its wings, and their sacrifices will bring them shame.