Hosea 4:1-6

English Standard Version

The Lord Accuses Israel

4 ^(A)Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel,
    for ^(B)the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land.
There is no faithfulness or steadfast love,
    and ^(C)no knowledge of God in the land;
²^(D)there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery;
    they break all bounds, and ^(E)bloodshed follows bloodshed.
³Therefore ^(F)the land mourns,
    and all who dwell in it languish,
^(G)and also the beasts of the field
    and the birds of the heavens,
    ^(H)and even the fish of the sea are taken away.

⁴^(I)Yet let no one contend,
    and let none accuse,
    for with you is ^(J)my contention, O priest.^[a]
⁵You shall stumble by day;
    the prophet also shall stumble with you by night;
    and I will destroy ^(K)your mother.
⁶My people are destroyed ^(L)for lack of knowledge;
    ^(M)because you have rejected knowledge,
    I reject you ^(N)from being a priest to me.
And since you have forgotten the law of your God,
    ^(O)I also will forget your children.