Final answer:
Hosea 4:2 indicates that societal breakdown and moral decay are caused by actions like swearing, lying, and committing adultery, reflecting on the abandonment of covenantal norms.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Hosea 4:2, they break all restraint through behaviors such as swearing, lying, killing, stealing, and committing adultery. These acts lead to violence and societal breakdown, reflecting the moral decay and abandonment of covenantal norms among the Israelites. The passages provided from other books of the Bible illustrate the intensity and consequences of violating divine commandments, demonstrating extreme instances of God’s judgment and the resulting devastation. Hosea 4:2 is a verse from the Bible, specifically from the Book of Hosea in the Old Testament. The verse is part of a larger passage that addresses issues of moral and spiritual decline. In the New International Version (NIV) translation, Hosea 4:2 says:
"There is only cursing, lying and murder,
stealing and adultery;
they break all bounds,
and bloodshed follows bloodshed."
In this verse, it mentions that people break all bounds, suggesting a lack of restraint or moral boundaries. The specific behaviors listed include cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery, highlighting a state of moral decay and disobedience.