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The
Charge Against Israel
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 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.
4:4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy
people are as they that strive 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
commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have
left off to take heed to the LORD.
4:11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
4:12 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.
4:13 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.
4:14 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.
4:15 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.
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 committed whoredom
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. |
Cults 
Why Did God Permit Sin?
