Hosea 4:7-19
New King James Version
7 “The more they increased,
The more they sinned against Me;
(A)I[a] will change [b]their glory into shame.
8 They eat up the sin of My people;
They set their [c]heart on their iniquity.
9 And it shall be: (B)like people, like priest.
So I will punish them for their ways,
And [d]reward them for their deeds.
10 For (C)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 (D)enslave the heart.
12 My people ask counsel from their (E)wooden idols,
And their [e]staff informs them.
For (F)the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray,
And they have played the harlot against their God.
13 (G)They offer sacrifices on the mountaintops,
And burn incense on the hills,
Under oaks, poplars, and terebinths,
Because their shade is good.
(H)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 (I)ritual harlot.
Therefore people who do not understand will be trampled.
15 “Though you, Israel, play the harlot,
Let not Judah offend.
(J)Do not come up to Gilgal,
Nor go up to (K)Beth[f] Aven,
(L)Nor swear an oath, saying, ‘As the Lord lives’—
16 “For Israel (M)is stubborn
Like a stubborn calf;
Now the Lord will let them forage
Like a lamb in [g]open country.
17 “Ephraim is joined to idols,
(N)Let him alone.
18 Their drink [h]is rebellion,
They commit harlotry continually.
(O)Her [i]rulers [j]dearly love dishonor.
19 (P)The wind has wrapped her up in its wings,
And (Q)they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
Footnotes
- Hosea 4:7 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; scribal tradition, Syr., Tg. They will change
- Hosea 4:7 So with MT, LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg.; scribal tradition My glory
- Hosea 4:8 Desires
- Hosea 4:9 repay
- Hosea 4:12 Diviner’s rod
- 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
New King James Version
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 [a]yours is the judgment,
Because (A)you have been a snare to Mizpah
And a net spread on Tabor.
2 The revolters are (B)deeply involved in slaughter,
Though I rebuke them all.
3 (C)I know Ephraim,
And Israel is not hidden from Me;
For now, O Ephraim, (D)you commit harlotry;
Israel is defiled.
4 “They[b] do not direct their deeds
Toward turning to their God,
For (E)the spirit of harlotry is in their midst,
And they do not know the Lord.
5 The (F)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
(G)They shall go to seek the Lord,
But they will not find Him;
He has withdrawn Himself from them.
7 They have (H)dealt treacherously with the Lord,
For they have begotten [c]pagan children.
Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage.
8 “Blow(I) the ram’s horn in Gibeah,
The trumpet in Ramah!
(J)Cry aloud at (K)Beth Aven,
‘Look behind you, O Benjamin!’
9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke;
Among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure.
10 “The princes of Judah are like those who (L)remove a landmark;
I will pour out My wrath on them like water.
11 Ephraim is (M)oppressed and broken in judgment,
Because he willingly walked by (N)human precept.
12 Therefore I will be to Ephraim like a moth,
And to the house of Judah (O)like rottenness.
13 “When Ephraim saw his sickness,
And Judah saw his (P)wound,
Then Ephraim went (Q)to Assyria
And sent to King Jareb;
Yet he cannot cure you,
Nor heal you of your wound.
14 For (R)I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
And like a young lion to the house of Judah.
(S)I, even I, will tear them and go away;
I will take them away, and no one shall rescue.
15 I will return again to My place
Till they [d]acknowledge their offense.
Then they will seek My face;
In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”
Footnotes
- Hosea 5:1 Or to you
- Hosea 5:4 Or Their deeds will not allow them to turn
- Hosea 5:7 Lit. strange
- Hosea 5:15 Lit. become guilty or bear punishment
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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