God’s Controversy with Israel

(A)Listen to the word of the Lord, you sons of Israel,
Because the Lord has a (B)case against the inhabitants of the land,
For there is (C)no [a]faithfulness, nor [b]loyalty,
Nor (D)knowledge of God in the land.
There is (E)oath-taking, (F)[c]denial, (G)murder, (H)stealing, and (I)adultery.
They employ violence, so that (J)bloodshed [d]follows bloodshed.
Therefore the land (K)mourns,
And everyone who lives in it languishes
Along with the animals of the field and the birds of the sky,
And even the fish of the sea [e]disappear.

Yet let no one [f](L)find fault, and let no one rebuke;
For your people are like those who (M)contend with a 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.
(P)My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Since you have (Q)rejected knowledge,
I also will (R)reject you from being My priest.
Since you have (S)forgotten the (T)Law of your God,
I also will forget your children.

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 4:1 Or truth
  2. Hosea 4:1 Or kindness
  3. Hosea 4:2 I.e., of truth
  4. Hosea 4:2 Lit touches
  5. Hosea 4:3 Lit are taken away
  6. Hosea 4:4 Lit contend

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