Hosea 4:8

8 Since the priests live off the sin offerings of the people, they want the people to sin more and more.

Hosea 4:8 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 4:8

They eat up the sin of my people
That is, the priests did so, as the Targum, the priests of Jeroboam; they ate up the sacrifices which the people brought for their sins: and their fault was, either that they ate that which belonged to the true priests of the Lord, so Jarchi; or they did that, and had no concern to instruct the people in the right way; all that they regarded were good eating and drinking, and living voluptuously; and were altogether careless about instructing the people in the nature of sacrifices, and in the way of their duty: or this may regard the Bacchanalian feasts, as some think, which the people made in the temples of idols, and so sinned; and of which the priests greatly partook, and encouraged them in, and so were partakers not only of their banquets, but of their sins. They set their heart on their iniquity:
either their offerings for their iniquity, or their iniquity itself: or, "lift up their soul" F21 to it; diligently looking after it, not caring how much they committed; since the more sin offerings would be brought which would be to their advantage. Though some think the sin of whoredom, frequently and impudently committed at these idol feasts, is meant, which the priests were much addicted to, and very greedy of; they committed cleanness with greediness, ( Ephesians 4:19 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F21 (wvpn wavy Mnwe law) "et ad iniquitatem eorum levaverunt animam suam", Montanus, Pagninus, Tigurine version; "attollunt", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "et ad iniquitatem eorum tollunt anumam suam", Schmidt.

Hosea 4:8 In-Context

6 My people will be destroyed, because they have no knowledge. You have refused to learn, so I will refuse to let you be priests to me. You have forgotten the teachings of your God, so I will forget your children.
7 The more priests there are, the more they sin against me. I will take away their honor and give them shame.
8 Since the priests live off the sin offerings of the people, they want the people to sin more and more.
9 The priests are as wrong as the people, and I will punish them both for what they have done. I will repay them for the wrong they have done.
10 "They will eat but not have enough; they will have sexual relations with the prostitutes, but they will not have children, because they have left the Lord to give themselves to
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.