Hosea 5:4

4 “Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. A spirit of prostitution is in their heart; they do not acknowledge the LORD.

Hosea 5:4 in Other Translations

KJV
4 They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD.
ESV
4 Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. For the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they know not the LORD.
NLT
4 Your deeds won’t let you return to your God. You are a prostitute through and through, and you do not know the LORD .
MSG
4 They couldn't turn to God if they wanted to. Their evil life is a bad habit. Every breath they take is a whore's breath. They wouldn't recognize God if they saw me.
CSB
4 Their actions do not allow [them] to return to their God, for a spirit of promiscuity is among them, and they do not know the Lord.

Hosea 5:4 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 5:4

They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God
Either their evil doings; they will not leave, as the Targum and Jarchi {g}; their evil ways and worship, their adultery and idolatry; which was necessary to repentance and true conversion to God, whom they yet professed to be their God, though they had so sadly departed from him: or their good works; they did not choose to do them, which were leading steps to repentance and conversion, or fruits and evidences of it: they had no mind to repent of their sins, and turn from them to the Lord; they had no thought, care, or concern, about these things, but obstinately persisted in their sins and in their impenitence: their wills were wretchedly depraved and corrupted; their hearts hard, perverse, and obstinate; they had no will to that which is good: for the spirit of whoredom [is] in the midst of them;
an unclean spirit, that prompts them to and pushes them on to commit corporeal and spiritual whoredom; the bias and inclination of their minds were this way which put them upon such evil practices; the spirit of error, which caused them to err, as the Targum and Kimchi; the lying spirit in the false prophets which encouraged them therein; and even himself, the spirit that works in the children of disobedience: and they have not known the Lord;
ignorance of God, his nature and perfections, his will, word, and worship, was the cause of their idolatry, and other sins; see ( Hosea 4:1 ) ; and this was wilful and affected ignorance; they knew not, nor would they understand: they rejected the knowledge of God, and the means of it; so the Targum,

``and they sought not instruction (or doctrine) from the Lord.''

FOOTNOTES:

F7 So R. Sol. Urbin. fol. 68. 2.

Hosea 5:4 In-Context

2 The rebels are knee-deep in slaughter. I will discipline all of them.
3 I know all about Ephraim; Israel is not hidden from me. Ephraim, you have now turned to prostitution; Israel is corrupt.
4 “Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. A spirit of prostitution is in their heart; they do not acknowledge the LORD.
5 Israel’s arrogance testifies against them; the Israelites, even Ephraim, stumble in their sin; Judah also stumbles with them.
6 When they go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, they will not find him; he has withdrawn himself from them.

Cross References 3

  • 1. Hosea 7:10
  • 2. S Hosea 4:11
  • 3. S Jeremiah 4:22; S Hosea 4:6
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