| Chapter 4 |
1 |
Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel, for the Lord shall enter into judgment with the inhabitants of the land: for there is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no knowledge of God in the land. -
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2 |
Cursing, and lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery have overflowed, and blood hath touched blood. -
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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 the air: yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be gathered together. -
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4 |
But yet let not any man judge: and let not a man be rebuked: for thy people are as they that contradict the priest. -
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5 |
And thou shalt fall to day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee: in the night I have made thy mother to be silent. -
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6 |
My people have been silent, because they had no knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will reject thee, that thou shalt not do the office of priesthood to me: and thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children. -
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7 |
According to the multitude of them so have they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame. -
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8 |
They shall eat the sins of my people, and shall lift up their souls to their iniquity. -
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9 |
And there shall be like people like priest: and I will visit their ways upon them, and I will repay them their devices. -
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10 |
And they shall eat and shall not be filled: they have committed fornication, and have not ceased: because they have forsaken the Lord in not observing his law. -
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11 |
Fornication, and wine, and drunkenness take away the understanding. -
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12 |
My people have consulted their stocks, and their staff hath declared unto them: for the spirit of fornication hath deceived them, and they have committed fornication against their God. -
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13 |
They offered sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burnt incense upon the hills: under the oak, and the poplar, and the turpentine tree, because the shadow thereof was good: therefore shall your daughters commit fornication, and your spouses shall be adulteresses. -
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14 |
I will not visit upon your daughters when they shell commit fornication, and upon your spouses when they shall commit adultery: because themselves conversed with harlots, and offered sacrifice with the effeminate, and the people that doth not understand shall be beaten. -
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15 |
If thou play the harlot, O Israel, at least let not Juda offend: and go ye not into Galgal, and come not up into Bethaven, and do not swear: The Lord liveth. -
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16 |
For Israel hath gone astray like a wanton heifer: now will the Lord feed them, as a lamb in a spacious place. -
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17 |
Ephraim is a partaker with idols, let him alone. -
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18 |
Their banquet is separated, they have gone astray by fornication: they that should have protected them have loved to bring shame upon them. -
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19 |
The wind hath bound them up in its wings, and they shall be confounded because of their sacrifices. -
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