Hosea Chapter 4
Ayo, Israel crew, peep this: God’s not happy with the land 'cause there’s zero truth, mercy, or knowledge of Him in sight.
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.
They’re out here flexing lies, killing, stealing, and hustling each other, creating a straight-up disaster—blood on blood, no cap.
By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. {blood: Heb. bloods}
The land’s about to fade away, and everyone chilling here is gonna catch those vibes, even the critters and fish are gonna bounce.
Therefore 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.
For real though, stop squabbling or calling each other out; y’all are beefing with the priests like it’s a whole thing.
Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people {are} as they that strive with the priest.
So you’re gonna stumble during the day, and even the prophet will trip at night—God’s about to ghost your crew too.
Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. {destroy: Heb. cut off}
My homies are getting wrecked 'cause they don’t know what’s popping: since you snubbed knowledge, I’m gonna ghost you too, no priest vibes coming your way.
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. {destroyed: Heb. cut off}
They’re flexing success but still sinning, so I’m flipping their glory into straight-up embarrassment.
As they were increased, so they sinned against me: {therefore} will I change their glory into shame.
They’re snacking on the sins of my people, and their hearts are all twisted up.
They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. {set...: Heb. lift up their soul to}
Just like the peeps, so the priests: I’m calling them out for their actions and serving them what’s coming.
And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. {punish: Heb. visit upon} {reward: Heb. cause to return}
They’ll eat but still be hungry, they’ll cheat but not come up, 'cause they zoned out on the Lord.
For 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.
Cheating and wine are robbing their hearts, fr.
Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
My folks are hitting up their wooden idols for advice, and their sticks are chatting back: their spirit of cheating is leading them off track, and they’re wilding away from God.
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 making sacrifices on mountain tops and lighting incense in the hills, thinking it’s all chill under the trees; so your daughters will be out here cheating, and your partners will be unfaithful.
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.
I won’t call out your daughters for their cheating or your partners for being unfaithful; they’re chilling with whores and sacrificing with harlots, so the clueless are gonna stumble.
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. {I will not: or, Shall I not} {fall: or, be punished}
Even though you, Israel, are out here playing games, don’t let Judah mess up; steer clear of Gilgal or Beth-aven, or swear 'The Lord lives.'
Though 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.
Israel’s sliding back like a heifer that won’t chill; now the Lord’s gonna treat them like a lamb in a huge pasture.
For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
Ephraim is all about the idols now; just let him be.
Ephraim {is} joined to idols: let him alone.
Their drinks are all messed up; they keep cheating, and their leaders are all about that shame, just giving it away.
Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers {with} shame do love, Give ye. {sour: Heb. gone} {rulers: Heb. shields}
The wind’s got her all tangled up, and they’re gonna feel embarrassed about their offerings.
The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.