Hosea:4-6

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* 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 . * Hear ye this , O priests ; and hearken , ye house of Israel ; and give ye ear , O house of the king ; for judgment is toward you , because ye have been a snare on Mizpah , and a net spread upon Tabor . * And the revolters are profound to make slaughter , though I have been a rebuker of them all . * I know Ephraim , and Israel is not hid from me : for now , O Ephraim , thou committest whoredom , and Israel is defiled . * They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God : for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them , and they have not known the LORD . * And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face : therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity ; Judah also shall fall with them . * They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD ; but they shall not find him ; he hath withdrawn himself from them . * They have dealt treacherously against the LORD : for they have begotten strange children : now shall a month devour them with their portions . * Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah , and the trumpet in Ramah : cry aloud at Bethaven , after thee , O Benjamin . * Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke : among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be . * The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound : therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water . * Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment , because he willingly walked after the commandment . * Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth , and to the house of Judah as rottenness . * When Ephraim saw his sickness , and Judah saw his wound , then went Ephraim to the Assyrian , and sent to king Jareb : yet could he not heal you , nor cure you of your wound . * For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion , and as a young lion to the house of Judah : I , even I , will tear and go away ; I will take away , and none shall rescue him . * I will go and return to my place , till they acknowledge their offence , and seek my face : in their affliction they will seek me early . * Come , and let us return unto the LORD : for he hath torn , and he will heal us ; he hath smitten , and he will bind us up . * After two days will he revive us : in the third day he will raise us up , and we shall live in his sight . * Then shall we know , if we follow on to know the LORD : his going forth is prepared as the morning ; and he shall come unto us as the rain , as the latter and former rain unto the earth . * O Ephraim , what shall I do unto thee ? O Judah , what shall I do unto thee ? for your goodness is as a morning cloud , and as the early dew it goeth away . * Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets ; I have slain them by the words of my mouth : and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth . * For I desired mercy , and not sacrifice ; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings . * But they like men have transgressed the covenant : there have they dealt treacherously against me . * Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity , and is polluted with blood . * And as troops of robbers wait for a man , so the company of priests murder in the way by consent : for they commit lewdness . * I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel : there is the whoredom of Ephraim , Israel is defiled . * Also , O Judah , he hath set an harvest for thee , when I returned the captivity of my people . * When I would have healed Israel , then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered , and the wickedness of Samaria : for they commit falsehood ; and the thief cometh in , and the troop of robbers spoileth without .

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