But let no one dispute;(A) let no one argue,
for my case is against you priests.[a][b](B)
You will stumble by day;(C)
the prophet will also stumble with you by night.
And I will destroy your mother.(D)
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.(E)
Because you have rejected knowledge,(F)
I will reject you(G) from serving as my priest.
Since you have forgotten the law of your God,(H)
I will also forget your sons.

The more they multiplied,(I)
the more they sinned against me.
I[c] will change their[d] honor into disgrace.(J)
They feed on the sin[e] of my people;(K)
they have an appetite for their iniquity.(L)
The same judgment will happen
to both people and priests.(M)
I will punish them for their ways(N)
and repay them for their deeds.
10 They will eat but not be satisfied;(O)
they will be promiscuous(P) but not multiply.
For they have abandoned their devotion to the Lord.(Q)
11 Promiscuity,(R) wine, and new wine
take away one’s understanding.(S)

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Footnotes

  1. 4:4 Text emended; MT reads argue, and your people are like those contending with a priest
  2. 4:4 Hb obscure
  3. 4:7 Alt Hb tradition, Syr, Tg read They
  4. 4:7 Alt Hb tradition reads my
  5. 4:8 Or sin offerings

“But let no one bring a charge,
    let no one accuse another,
for your people are like those
    who bring charges against a priest.(A)
You stumble(B) day and night,
    and the prophets stumble with you.
So I will destroy your mother(C)
    my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.(D)

“Because you have rejected knowledge,
    I also reject you as my priests;
because you have ignored the law(E) of your God,
    I also will ignore your children.
The more priests there were,
    the more they sinned against me;
    they exchanged their glorious God[a](F) for something disgraceful.(G)
They feed on the sins of my people
    and relish their wickedness.(H)
And it will be: Like people, like priests.(I)
    I will punish both of them for their ways
    and repay them for their deeds.(J)

10 “They will eat but not have enough;(K)
    they will engage in prostitution(L) but not flourish,
because they have deserted(M) the Lord
    to give themselves 11 to prostitution;(N)
old wine(O) and new wine
    take away their understanding.(P)

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 4:7 Syriac (see also an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition); Masoretic Text me; / I will exchange their glory