Hosea 4:7

7 The more priests there are, the more they sin against me. They have exchanged the glory of God for the shame of idols.

Hosea 4:7 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 4:7

As they were increased, so they sinned against me
As the children of the priests increased and grew up, they sinned against the Lord, imitating their parents; they were as many sinners as they were persons, not one to be excepted: this expresses their universal depravity and corruption. Some understand it of their increase, as in number, so in riches, wealth, honour, dignity, and authority, and yet they sinned more and more; which shows their ingratitude. So the Targum,

``as I have multiplied fruits unto them''

Therefore will I change their glory into shame,
take away their priesthood from them, so that they shall be no more priests, and as if they never had been; and reduce them to a state of poverty, meanness, and disgrace; and cause them to go into captivity with the meanest of the people; and be in no more honour, but subject to as much scorn and contempt as they.

Hosea 4:7 In-Context

5 So you will stumble in broad daylight, and your false prophets will fall with you in the night. And I will destroy Israel, your mother.

6 My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children.

7 The more priests there are, the more they sin against me. They have exchanged the glory of God for the shame of idols.

8 “When the people bring their sin offerings, the priests get fed. So the priests are glad when the people sin!

9 ‘And what the priests do, the people also do.’ So now I will punish both priests and people for their wicked deeds.

Footnotes

• [a]. As in Syriac version and an ancient Hebrew tradition; Masoretic Text reads I will turn their glory into shame.