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Hosea 4
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| 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. |
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| 4:2
By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing
adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. |
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| 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. |

Because of the Israelites' disobedience, the land mourns, and all the
animals are dying.
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| 4:4
Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they
that strive with the priest. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 4:7
As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change
their glory into shame. |
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| 4:8
They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their
iniquity. |
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| 4:9
And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for
their ways, and reward them their doings. |
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| 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. |

(4:10-12)
Committing whoredom by going a whoring with the spirit of whoredom.
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| 4:11
Whoredom and wine
and new wine take away the heart. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |

If you misbehave, God will make your daughters
"commit whoredom" and your wife "commit adultery."
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 4:16
For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed
them as a lamb in a large place. |
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| 4:17
Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. |
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| 4:18
Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers
with shame do love, Give ye. |
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| 4:19
The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because
of their sacrifices.
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