Hosea4
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1Hear the word of Jehovah, ye children of Israel; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2There is nought but swearing and breaking faith, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery; they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
3Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
4Yet let no man strive, neither let any man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
5And thou shalt stumble in the day, and the prophet also shall stumble with thee in the night; and I will destroy thy mother.
6My 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 also will forget thy children.
7As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame.
8They feed on the sin of my people, and set their heart on their iniquity.
9And it shall be, like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and will requite them their doings.
10And they shall eat, and not have enough; they shall play the harlot, and shall not increase; because they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.
11Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the understanding.
12My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have played the harlot, departing from under their God.
13They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters play the harlot, and your brides commit adultery.
14I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for the men themselves go apart with harlots, and they sacrifice with the prostitutes; and the people that doth not understand shall be overthrown.
15Though 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, As Jehovah liveth.
16For Israel hath behaved himself stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer: now will Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a large place.
17Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.
18Their drink is become sour; they play the harlot continually; her rulers dearly love shame.
19The wind hath wrapped her up in its wings; and they shall be put to shame because of their sacrifices.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Hosea 4.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: God's judgments against the sins of the people. (1-5). and of the priests. (6-11). Idolatry is reproved, and Judah is admonished. (12-19).
vv1-5
Hosea reproves for immorality, as well as idolatry. There was no truth, mercy, or knowledge of God in the land: it was full of murders, II Kin. 21:16. Therefore calamities were near, which would desolate the country. Our sins, as separate persons, as a family, as a neighbourhood, as a nation, cause the Lord to have a controversy with us; let us submit and humble ourselves before Him, that he may not go on to destroy.
vv6-11
Both priests and people rejected knowledge; God will justly reject them. They forgot the law of God, neither desired nor endeavoured to retain it in mind, and to transmit the remembrance to their posterity; therefore God will justly forget them and their children. If we dishonour God with that which is our honour, it will, sooner or later, be turned into shame to us. Instead of warning the people against sin, from the consideration of the sacrifices, which showed what an offence sin was to God, since it needed an atonement, the priests encouraged the people to sin, since atonement might be made at so small an expense. It is very wicked to be pleased with the sins of others, because they may turn to our advantage. What is unlawfully gained, cannot be comfortably used. The people and the priests hardened one another in sin; therefore justly shall they share in the punishment. Sharers in sin must expect to share in ruin. Any lust harboured in the heart, in time will eat out all its strength and vigour. That is the reason why many professors grow so heavy, so dull, so dead in the way of religion. They have a liking for some secret lust, which takes away their hearts.
vv12-19
The people consulted images, and not the Divine word. This would lead to disorder and sin. Thus men prepare scourges for themselves, and vice is spread through a people. Let not Judah come near the idolatrous worship of Israel. For Israel was devoted to idols, and must now be let alone. When sinners cast off the easy yoke of Christ, they go on in sin till the Lord saith, Let them alone. Then they receive no more warnings, feel no more convictions: Satan takes full possession of them, and they ripen for destruction. It is a sad and sore judgment for any man to be let alone in sin. Those who are not disturbed in their sin, will be destroyed for their sin. May we be kept from this awful state; for the wrath of God, like a strong tempest, will soon hurry impenitent sinners into ruin.
Key Words
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
רִיב: a contest (personal or legal)
יָשַׁב: properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
אֶרֶץ: the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
אֶמֶת: stability; (figuratively) certainty, truth, trustworthiness
חֵסֵד: kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty
דַּעַת: knowledge
Cross References
Hosea 4Explicit parallel of joint societal ruin: 'like people, like priest' in both texts.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct parallel of Yahweh summoning Israel to trial with a formal 'controversy'.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Law concerning those who presumptuously rebel against the decision of the priest.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Covenant curse of insatiability: eating and not being satisfied, mirroring Hosea's warning.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Wisdom parallel of a corrupting influence that 'takes away the heart' or understanding.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Illustrates pagan rhabdomancy/divination by rods matching consultation of their 'staff'.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Verbatim link to the internal 'spirit of whoredoms' causing Israel to err.
Supported by JFB
Parallel where increased prosperity and being filled directly led to forgetting God.
Supported by JFB
Priests made contemptible and base before all because they corrupted their glory.
Supported by JFB
The law of priests eating the sin offerings, which they corrupted into greed.
Supported by JFB
Another prophetic echo of eating and not being satisfied as divine retribution.
Supported by JFB
Priest and prophet erring through wine and strong drink, losing spiritual understanding.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Historical fulfillment showing the rapid succession of bloody coups in northern Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Changing the divine glory into a shameful, worthless idol.
Supported by JFB
Self-referential highlight of Ephraim being abandoned to idols ('let him alone').
Supported by Matthew Henry