Hosea 4:4-19

4 But let no man contend; let no man offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend with a priest. ^[a]

5 You will stumble by day, and the prophet will stumble with you by night; so I will destroy your mother—

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.

7 The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; they exchanged their Glory ^[b] for a thing of disgrace.

8 They feed on the sins ^[c] of My people and set their hearts on iniquity.

9 And it shall be like people, like priest. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.

10 They will eat but not be satisfied; they will be promiscuous but not multiply. For they have abandoned the LORD to give themselves

11 to promiscuity, wine, and new wine, which take away understanding.

12 My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God.

13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people without understanding will come to ruin.

15 Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, ^[d] and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’

16 For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow?

17 Ephraim ^[e] is joined to idols; leave him alone!

18 When their liquor is gone, they turn to prostitution; their rulers ^[f] dearly love disgrace.

19 The whirlwind has wrapped them ^[g] in its wings, and their sacrifices will bring them shame.

Hosea 4:4-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 4

This chapter contains a new sermon or prophecy, delivered in proper and express words, without types and figures, as before; in which the people of Israel are summoned to appear at the tribunal of God, to hear the charge brought against them, and the sentence to be pronounced upon them, and which would be executed. They are charged with sins of omission and commission; with want of truth and mercy to men, and with ignorance of God; with swearing, lying, murder, theft, and adultery, Ho 4:1,2, the punishment threatened is the sword, famine, and pestilence; which should affect the whole land, and all creatures in it, men, beasts, fowls, and fishes, Ho 4:3, then the priests and false prophets are threatened with falling into calamities along with the people, and with rejection from their office, and forgetfulness of their posterity, and a taking away their glory from them, because of their striving with the true prophets; their rejection of knowledge; forgetfulness of the law of God; covetousness, adultery, and drunkenness, Ho 4:4-11, then the discourse is turned to the people again, who are charged with divination and idolatry, which is spiritual adultery; and therefore, by way of retaliation, their wives and daughters would be left to commit adultery and fornication, Ho 4:12-14, and the chapter is concluded with advice to Israel not to tempt Judah to sin; or to Judah not to do the like, after the example of Israel, who were backsliders, idolaters, left of God and alone; guilty of bribery, and the like shameful things, and would be suddenly filled with shame, Ho 4:15-19.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or for My case is against you, O priests
• [b]. Or they exchanged their glorious God (Syriac); MT I will exchange their glory
• [c]. Or the sin offerings
• [d]. Beth-aven means house of wickedness. This is a derogatory term for Bethel, which means house of God; see 1 Kings 12:28–29.
• [e]. That is, the northern kingdom of Israel
• [f]. Hebrew her shields
• [g]. Hebrew has wrapped her