      | ¶ | 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. | |
 | By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. | ||
| 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. | ||
| Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people [are] as they that strive with the priest. | ||
 | Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. | ||
| 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. | ||
| ¶ | As they were increased, so they sinned against me: [therefore] will I change their glory into shame. | |
| They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. | ||
| And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. | ||
| 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. | ||
| ¶ | Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart. | |
| 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. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 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. | ||
 | ¶ | 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. | |
| For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place. | ||
| Ephraim [is] joined to idols: let him alone. | ||
| Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers [with] shame do love, Give ye. | ||
| The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices. |
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From the Blue Letter Bible
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King James Version (KJV)
Hosea - Chapter 4
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