---
title: Joseph Smith Translation (1867 edition)
description: Hosea from the Joseph Smith Translation (JST), 1867 edition.
authors:
  - Smith, Joseph, Jr.
collections:
  - joseph-smith
tags:
  - translation
published: "1867"
publisher: RLDS Publication Board
publisher_place: Plano, Illinois
publisher_note: "The title page reads: Published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; Joseph Smith, I. L. Rogers, E. Robinson, Publishing Committee; 1867."
edition: First edition (Plano, 1867)
language: en
type: book
chapter: 4
verse_count: 19
reference: "Joseph Smith Jr., *Joseph Smith Translation*, first edition (Plano, IL: RLDS Publication Board, 1867), Hosea, chap. 4, https://archive.org/details/holyscripturestr00smituoft."
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/holyscripturestr00smituoft
  identifier: holyscripturestr00smituoft
  scan: University of Toronto / Trinity College Library copy, Internet Archive
  transcription: "OCR text of the 1867 scans (Toronto copy and a second copy, holyscriptures00smit), reconciled word by word; Romans was also checked against the page images. Method, per-chapter validation log and known limits: docs/jst-1867-import.md."
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: 1867 US publication
  source: https://archive.org/details/holyscripturestr00smituoft
  publication_year: 1867
---

# Hosea 4

*God's judgments against the sins of the people,*

**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.
**2** By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
**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,
**4** Yet let no man strive nor reprove another; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
**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.
**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.
**7** As they were increased, so they sinned against me; therefore will 1 change their glory into shame.
**8** They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
**9** And there shall be, like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
**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.
**11** Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
**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.
**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.
**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.
**15** Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, The Lord liveth.
**16** For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer; now the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
**17** Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.
**18** Their drink is sour; they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.
**19** The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.