Chapter 4

Hear³ this word, ye kine of Bashan, that [are] in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress⁶ the poor, which crush⁶ the needy, which say⁶ to their masters, Bring,⁵⁴ and let us drink.⁴

The Lord GOD hath sworn⁸ by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come⁶ upon you, that he will take you away¹⁴ with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks. ⁵⁵¹⁸

And ye shall go out⁴ at the breaches, every [cow at that which is] before her; and ye shall cast⁵² [them] into the palace, saith⁷ the LORD.

Come³ to Bethel, and transgress;³ at Gilgal multiply⁵⁴ transgression;² and bring⁵⁴ your sacrifices every morning, ¹²⁴² [and] your tithes after three years:

And offer¹⁵ a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim³ [and] publish⁵⁴ the free offerings: for this liketh¹ you, O ye children of Israel, saith⁷ the Lord GOD.

And I also have given¹ you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned¹ unto me, saith⁷ the LORD.

And also I have withholden¹ the rain from you, when [there were] yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain⁵² upon one city, and caused it not to rain⁵⁵ upon another city: one piece was rained¹¹ upon, and the piece whereupon it rained⁵⁵ not withered.⁴

So two [or] three cities wandered¹ unto one city, to drink² water; but they were not satisfied:⁴ yet have ye not returned¹ unto me, saith⁷ the LORD.

I have smitten⁵² you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased,⁵³ the palmerworm devoured⁴ [them]: yet have ye not returned¹ unto me, saith⁷ the LORD.

I have sent¹⁴ among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain¹ with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up⁵⁵ unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned¹ unto me, saith⁷ the LORD.

I have overthrown¹ [some] of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked⁹⁴ out of the burning: yet have ye not returned¹ unto me, saith⁷ the LORD.

Therefore thus will I do⁴ unto thee, O Israel: [and] because I will do⁴ this unto thee, prepare¹⁰ to meet² thy God, O Israel.

For, lo, he that formeth⁶ the mountains, and createth⁶ the wind, and declareth⁵⁶ unto man what [is] his thought, that maketh⁶ the morning darkness, and treadeth⁶ upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, [is] his name.