New King James Version

English Standard Version

God’s Charge Against Israel

Hear the word of the Lord,
You children of Israel,
For the Lord brings a charge[a] against the inhabitants of the land:
“There is no truth or mercy
Or knowledge of God in the land.

1

The Lord Accuses Israel

Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel,
for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land.
There is no faithfulness or steadfast love,
and no knowledge of God in the land;

2

By swearing and lying,
Killing and stealing and committing adultery,
They break all restraint,
With bloodshed [b]upon bloodshed.

2

there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery;
they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.

3

Therefore the land will mourn;
And everyone who dwells there will waste away
With the beasts of the field
And the birds of the air;
Even the fish of the sea will be taken away.

3

Therefore the land mourns,
and all who dwell in it languish,
and also the beasts of the field
and the birds of the heavens,
and even the fish of the sea are taken away.

4

“Now let no man contend, or rebuke another;
For your people are like those who contend with the priest.

4

Yet let no one contend,
and let none accuse,
for with you is my contention, O priest.a

5

Therefore you shall stumble in the day;
The prophet also shall stumble with you in the night;
And I will destroy your mother.

5

You shall stumble by day;
the prophet also shall stumble with you by night;
and I will destroy your mother.

6

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being priest for Me;
Because you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.

6

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge;
because you have rejected knowledge,
I reject you from being a priest to me.
And since you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.

7

“The more they increased,
The more they sinned against Me;
I[c] will change [d]their glory into shame.

7

The more they increased,
the more they sinned against me;
I will change their glory into shame.

8

They eat up the sin of My people;
They set their [e]heart on their iniquity.

8

They feed on the sinb of my people;
they are greedy for their iniquity.

9

And it shall be: like people, like priest.
So I will punish them for their ways,
And [f]reward them for their deeds.

9

And it shall be like people, like priest;
I will punish them for their ways
and repay them for their deeds.

10

For they shall eat, but not have enough;
They shall commit harlotry, but not increase;
Because they have ceased obeying the Lord.

10

They shall eat, but not be satisfied;
they shall play the whore, but not multiply,
because they have forsaken the Lord
to cherish

11

The Idolatry of Israel

“Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart.

11

whoredom, wine, and new wine,
which take away the understanding.

12

My people ask counsel from their wooden idols,
And their [g]staff informs them.
For the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray,
And they have played the harlot against their God.

12

My people inquire of a piece of wood,
and their walking staff gives them oracles.
For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray,
and they have left their God to play the whore.

13

They offer sacrifices on the mountaintops,
And burn incense on the hills,
Under oaks, poplars, and terebinths,
Because their shade is good.
Therefore your daughters commit harlotry,
And your brides commit adultery.

13

They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains
and burn offerings on the hills,
under oak, poplar, and terebinth,
because their shade is good.
Therefore your daughters play the whore,
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 ritual harlot.
Therefore people who do not understand will be trampled.

14

I will not punish your daughters when they play the whore,
nor your brides when they commit adultery;
for the men themselves go aside with prostitutes
and sacrifice with cult prostitutes,
and a people without understanding shall come to ruin.

15

“Though you, Israel, play the harlot,
Let not Judah offend.
Do not come up to Gilgal,
Nor go up to Beth[h] Aven,
Nor swear an oath, saying, ‘As the Lord lives’ —

15

Though you play the whore, O Israel,
let not Judah become guilty.
Enter not into Gilgal,
nor go up to Beth-aven,
and swear not, “As the Lord lives.”

16

“For Israel is stubborn
Like a stubborn calf;
Now the Lord will let them forage
Like a lamb in [i]open country.

16

Like a stubborn heifer,
Israel is stubborn;
can the Lord now feed them
like a lamb in a broad pasture?

17

“Ephraim is joined to idols,
Let him alone.

17

Ephraim is joined to idols;
leave him alone.

18

Their drink [j]is rebellion,
They commit harlotry continually.
Her [k]rulers [l]dearly love dishonor.

18

When their drink is gone, they give themselves to whoring;
their rulersc dearly love shame.

19

The wind has wrapped her up in its wings,
And they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

19

A wind has wrapped themd in its wings,
and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

Parallel

New King James Version

English Standard Version

Hosea 4

Hosea 4