God’s Controversy with Israel

(A)Listen to the word of the Lord, O sons of Israel,
For the Lord has a (B)case against the inhabitants of the land,
Because there is (C)no [a]faithfulness or [b]kindness
Or (D)knowledge of God in the land.
There is (E)swearing, (F)deception, (G)murder, (H)stealing and (I)adultery.
They employ violence, so that (J)bloodshed [c]follows bloodshed.
Therefore the land (K)mourns,
And everyone who lives in it languishes
Along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky,
And also the fish of the sea [d]disappear.

Yet let no one [e](L)find fault, and let none offer reproof;
For your people are like those who (M)contend with the priest.
So you will (N)stumble by day,
And the prophet also will stumble with you by night;
And I will destroy your (O)mother.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 4:1 Or truth
  2. Hosea 4:1 Or loyalty
  3. Hosea 4:2 Lit touches
  4. Hosea 4:3 Lit are taken away
  5. Hosea 4:4 Lit contend

The Charge Against Israel

Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites,
    because the Lord has a charge(A) to bring
    against you who live in the land:(B)
“There is no faithfulness,(C) no love,
    no acknowledgment(D) of God in the land.(E)
There is only cursing,[a] lying(F) and murder,(G)
    stealing(H) and adultery;(I)
they break all bounds,
    and bloodshed follows bloodshed.(J)
Because of this the land dries up,(K)
    and all who live in it waste away;(L)
the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky
    and the fish in the sea are swept away.(M)

“But let no one bring a charge,
    let no one accuse another,
for your people are like those
    who bring charges against a priest.(N)
You stumble(O) day and night,
    and the prophets stumble with you.
So I will destroy your mother(P)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 4:2 That is, to pronounce a curse on