Hosea 4:1-9 ▼

1 Hear the word of the LORD, people of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth, no faithful love, and no knowledge of God in the land!

2 Cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.

3 For this reason the land mourns, and everyone who lives in it languishes, along with the wild animals and the birds of the sky; even the fish of the sea disappear.

4 But let no one dispute; let no one argue, for my case is against you priests.

5 You will stumble by day; the prophet will also 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 will reject you from serving as my priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your sons.

7 The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against me. I will change their honor into disgrace.

8 They feed on the sin of my people; they have an appetite for their iniquity.

9 The same judgment will happen to both people and priests. I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.