4:1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the
LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land,
because [there is] no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in
the land.
4:2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and
committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
4:3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth
in it shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with
the fowls of heaven; yes, the fishes of the sea also shall be
taken away.
4:4 Yet let no man contend, nor reprove another: for thy people
[are] as they that contend with the priest.
4:5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also
shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy
mother.
4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou
hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou
shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of
thy God, I will also forget thy children.
4:7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me:
[therefore] will I change their glory into shame.
4:8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart
on their iniquity.
4:9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will
punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
4:10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall be
guilty of lewdness, and shall not increase: because they have
ceased to take heed to the LORD.
4:11 Lewdness and wine and new wine take away the heart.
4:12 My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff
declareth to them: for the spirit of lewdness hath caused
[them] to err, and they have gone astray from under their God.
4:13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn
incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms,
because the shade of them is agreeable: therefore your
daughters shall be guilty of lewdness, and your spouses shall
commit adultery.
4:14 I will not punish your daughters when they are guilty of
lewdness, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for they
themselves are separated with prostitutes, and they sacrifice
with harlots: therefore the people [that] doth not understand
shall fall.
4:15 Though thou, Israel, playest the harlot, [yet] let not
Judah offend; and come not ye to Gilgal, neither go ye up to
Beth-aven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.
4:16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the
LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
4:17 Ephraim [is] joined to idols: let him alone.
4:18 Their drink is sour: they have been guilty of lewd deeds
continually: her rulers [with] shame do love, Give ye.
4:19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be
ashamed because of their sacrifices.
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