Viewing the 1611 King James Version of Hosea (Hosea) Chapter 4, also known as: HOSEA. , Hosea, Hos, Ho,.

View smaller size scan of original Hosea Chapter 4, view text-only version of Hosea Chapter 4, or click to switch to the standard King James Version of Hosea Chapter 4

Why does it have strange spelling?

CHAP. IV.

1 Gods iudgements against the sinnes of the people, 6 and of the priests, 12 and against their idolatrie. 15 Iudah is exhorted to take warning by Israels calamitie.

Priests reiected.

¹Heare the worde of the Lord, yee children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no trueth, nor mercie, nor knowledge of God in the land.¹

²By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adulterie, they breake out, and blood toucheth blood.²

³Therefore shall the land mourne, and euery one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beastes of the field, and with the foules of heauen, yea the fishes of the Sea also shall be taken away.

⁴Yet let no man striue, nor reproue another: for this people are as they that striue with the priest.

⁵Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.⁵

⁶¶ My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge: because thou hast reiected knowledge, I will also reiect thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the lawe of thy God, I wil also forget thy children.⁶

⁷As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therfore wil I change their glory into shame.

⁸They eate vp the sinne of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquitie.⁸

⁹And there shall be like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their wayes, and reward them their doings.⁹

¹⁰For they shall eate, and not haue enough: they shall commit whordome, and shall not increase, because they haue left off to take heed to the Lord.

¹¹Whoredome, and wine, and newe wine take away the heart.

¹²¶ My people aske counsel at their stocks, and their staffe declareth vnto them: for the spirit of whordomes hath caused them to erre, and they haue gone a whoring from vnder their God.

¹³They sacrifice vpon the tops of the mountaines, and burne incense vpon the hilles vnder okes and poplars, and elmes, because the shadowe thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredome, and your spouses shall commit adulterie.

Israels pride.

¹⁴I will not punish your daughters when they commit whordome, nor your spouses when they commit adulterie: for themselues are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therfore the people that doth not vnderstand, shall fall.¹⁴

¹⁵¶ Though thou Israel play the harlot, yet let not Iudah offend, and come not ye vnto Gilgal, neither goe ye vp to Beth-auen, nor sweare, The Lord liueth:¹⁵

¹⁶For Israel slideth backe, as a backe sliding heifer: now the Lord will feede them as a lambe in a large place.

¹⁷Ephraim is ioyned to idoles: let him alone.

¹⁸Their drinke is sowre: they haue committed whordome continually: her rulers with shame doe loue, Giue ye.¹⁸

¹⁹The wind hath bound her vp in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

Original 1611 KJV Sidenote References for Hosea Chapter 4

¹ Mica.6.2.
² Hebr. bloods.
⁵ Heb. cut off
⁶ Heb. cut off
⁸ Heb. lift up their soule to their iniquitie.
⁹ Isa.24.2. , Heb. visite vpon. , Heb. cause to returne.
¹⁴ Or, shall I not? &c. , Or, be punished.
¹⁵ 1.King. 12. 29.
¹⁸ Hebr. is gone. , Hebr. shields.

* Courtesy of Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of Pennsylvania