Hosea 4:16-18
The Voice
16 The people of Israel are stubborn, just like heifers,
so how can I shepherd them like lambs in a pasture?
17 Ephraim is allied with idols;
don’t have anything to do with him![a]
18 When they’ve finished drinking, they turn to prostitution to sate their thirst.
Their rulers love shame rather than living decently.[b]
Hosea 4:16-18
Easy-to-Read Version
16 The Lord has given many things to Israel. He is like a shepherd who takes his sheep to a large field with plenty of grass. But Israel is stubborn like a young cow that runs away again and again.
17 “Ephraim has joined his idols, so leave him alone. 18 Ephraim has joined their drunkenness. Let them continue to be prostitutes. Let them be with their lovers.[a]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Hosea 4:18 lovers This means Israel’s false gods.
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