Hosea 4

¹Hear the LORD’s word, you children of Israel,

²There is cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery;

³Therefore the land will mourn,

⁴“Yet let no man bring a charge, neither let any man accuse;

⁵You will stumble in the day,

⁶My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

⁷As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me.

⁸They feed on the sin of my people,

⁹It will be like people, like priest;

¹⁰They will eat, and not have enough.

¹¹Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away understanding.

¹²My people consult with their wooden idol,

¹³They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains,

¹⁴I will not punish your daughters when they play the prostitute,

¹⁵“Though you, Israel, play the prostitute,

¹⁶For Israel has behaved extremely stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer.

¹⁷Ephraim is joined to idols.

¹⁸Their drink has become sour.

¹⁹The wind has wrapped her up in its wings;