Hosea 4:15-5:7
New King James Version
15 “Though you, Israel, play the harlot,
Let not Judah offend.
(A)Do not come up to Gilgal,
Nor go up to (B)Beth[a] Aven,
(C)Nor swear an oath, saying, ‘As the Lord lives’—
16 “For Israel (D)is stubborn
Like a stubborn calf;
Now the Lord will let them forage
Like a lamb in [b]open country.
17 “Ephraim is joined to idols,
(E)Let him alone.
18 Their drink [c]is rebellion,
They commit harlotry continually.
(F)Her [d]rulers [e]dearly love dishonor.
19 (G)The wind has wrapped her up in its wings,
And (H)they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
Impending Judgment on Israel and Judah
5 “Hear this, O priests!
Take heed, O house of Israel!
Give ear, O house of the king!
For [f]yours is the judgment,
Because (I)you have been a snare to Mizpah
And a net spread on Tabor.
2 The revolters are (J)deeply involved in slaughter,
Though I rebuke them all.
3 (K)I know Ephraim,
And Israel is not hidden from Me;
For now, O Ephraim, (L)you commit harlotry;
Israel is defiled.
4 “They[g] do not direct their deeds
Toward turning to their God,
For (M)the spirit of harlotry is in their midst,
And they do not know the Lord.
5 The (N)pride of Israel testifies to his face;
Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity;
Judah also stumbles with them.
6 “With their flocks and herds
(O)They shall go to seek the Lord,
But they will not find Him;
He has withdrawn Himself from them.
7 They have (P)dealt treacherously with the Lord,
For they have begotten [h]pagan children.
Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage.
Footnotes
- Hosea 4:15 Lit. House of Idolatry or Wickedness
- Hosea 4:16 Lit. a large place
- Hosea 4:18 Or has turned aside
- Hosea 4:18 Lit. shields
- Hosea 4:18 Heb. difficult; a Jewish tradition shamefully love, ‘Give!’
- Hosea 5:1 Or to you
- Hosea 5:4 Or Their deeds will not allow them to turn
- Hosea 5:7 Lit. strange
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.