# Hosea 4 (New King James Version)
God's Charge Against Israel

##### Chapter 4
###### 1 Hear the word of the Lord,  
You children of Israel,  
For the Lord _brings_ a charge against the inhabitants of the land:
"There is no truth or mercy  
Or knowledge of God in the land.  

###### 2 _By_ swearing and lying,  
Killing and stealing and committing adultery,  
They break all restraint,  
With bloodshed upon bloodshed.  

###### 3 Therefore the land will mourn;  
And everyone who dwells there will waste away  
With the beasts of the field  
And the birds of the air;  
Even the fish of the sea will be taken away.

###### 4 "Now let no man contend, or rebuke another;  
For your people _are_ like those who contend with the priest.  

###### 5 Therefore you shall stumble in the day;  
The prophet also shall stumble with you in the night;  
And I will destroy your mother.  

###### 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.  
Because you have rejected knowledge,  
I also will reject you from being priest for Me;  
Because you have forgotten the law of your God,  
I also will forget your children.

###### 7 "The more they increased,  
The more they sinned against Me;  
I will change their glory into shame.  

###### 8 They eat up the sin of My people;  
They set their heart on their iniquity.  

###### 9 And it shall be: like people, like priest.  
So I will punish them for their ways,  
And reward them for their deeds.  

###### 10 For they shall eat, but not have enough;  
They shall commit harlotry, but not increase;  
Because they have ceased obeying the Lord.The Idolatry of Israel

###### 11 "Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart.  

###### 12 My people ask counsel from their wooden _idols,_  
And their staff informs them.  
For the spirit of harlotry has caused _them_ to stray,  
And they have played the harlot against their God.  

###### 13 They offer sacrifices on the mountaintops,  
And burn incense on the hills,  
Under oaks, poplars, and terebinths,  
Because their shade _is_ good.  
Therefore your daughters commit harlotry,  
And your brides commit adultery.

###### 14 "I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry,  
Nor your brides when they commit adultery;  
For _the men_ themselves go apart with harlots,  
And offer sacrifices with a ritual harlot.  
Therefore people _who_ do not understand will be trampled.

###### 15 "Though you, Israel, play the harlot,  
Let not Judah offend.  
Do not come up to Gilgal,  
Nor go up to Beth Aven,  
Nor swear an oath, _saying,_ 'As the Lord lives'--

###### 16 "For Israel is stubborn  
Like a stubborn calf;  
Now the Lord will let them forage  
Like a lamb in open country.

###### 17 "Ephraim _is_ joined to idols,  
Let him alone.  

###### 18 Their drink is rebellion,  
They commit harlotry continually.  
Her rulers dearly love dishonor.  

###### 19 The wind has wrapped her up in its wings,  
And they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.