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.
I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them. 13:8
Trivia: In Hosea 3, God told Hosea to have sex with an adulteress. So Hosea bought one. How much did he pay?
4:1-19
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.
Hear the word of God, you people of Israel.
God has a controversy with you,
2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
because of your swearing, lying, killing, stealing, and adultery.
3Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
Therefore the land will mourn,
and the beasts, birds, and fish will die. [1]
5Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.
You'll fall in the day, the prophet will fall in the night,
and I'll destroy your mother.
6My 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.
7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.
8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
The people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you.
Since you have forgotten God's law, I'll forget your children.
10For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.
They won't have enough to eat,
and they'll commit whoredom.
11Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
12 My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
They're all drinking wine, [2]
and going a whoring in the spirit of whoredoms.
13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.
They're sacrificing on top of mountains and burning incense on hills under trees.
Therefore, your daughters will commit whoredom and your spouses will commit adultery. [3]
15Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.
16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.
But you, Israel, are playing the harlot.
18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.
19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
Their drink is sour. They commit whoredom continually.
Because the Israelites misbehaved, the land will mourn and all the animals will die.
If you misbehave, God will make your daughters "commit whoredom" and your wife "commit adultery."
