Héxīāshū 4

1 Yǐsèliè rén nǎ , nǐmen dāng tīng Yēhéhuá de huà . Yēhéhuá yǔ zhè dì de jūmín zhēng biàn , yīn zhè dì shang wú chéngshí , wú liángshàn , wú rén rènshi shén .

2 Dàn qǐ jiǎ shì , bù jiàn qián yán , shāhaì , tōudào , jiānyín , xíng qiángbào , shārén liúxuè , jiē lián bú duàn .

3 Yīncǐ , zhè dì bēiāi , qí shang de mín , tiānyĕ de shòu , kōng zhōng de niǎo , bì dōu shuāiwēi , hǎi zhōng de yú yĕ bì xiāomiè .

4 Ránér , rén dōu bú bì zhēng biàn , yĕ bú bì zhǐzé , yīnwei zhè mín yǔ kàng jù jìsī de rén yíyàng .

5 Nǐ zhè jìsī bì rì jiān diēdǎo , xiānzhī yĕ bì yè jiān yǔ nǐ yītóng diēdǎo . wǒ bì mièjué nǐde mǔqin .

6 Wǒde mín yīn wúzhī zhì ér mièwáng . nǐ qì diào zhīshi , wǒ yĕ bì qì diào nǐ , shǐ nǐ bú zaì gĕi wǒ zuò jìsī . nǐ jì wáng le nǐ shén de lǜfǎ , wǒ yĕ bì wàngjì nǐde érnǚ .

7 Jìsī yuèfā zēng duō , jiù yuèfā dé zuì wǒ . wǒ bì shǐ tāmende róngyào biàn wèi xiūrǔ .

8 Tāmen chī wǒ mín de shú zuì jì , mǎn xīnyuàn yì wǒ mín fàn zuì .

9 Jiānglái mín rúhé , jìsī yĕ bì rúhé , wǒ bì yīn tāmen suǒ xíng de chéngfá tāmen , zhào tāmen suǒ zuò de bàoyìng tāmen .

10 Tāmen chī , què bùdé bǎo . xíng yín , ér bùdé lì hòu . yīnwei tāmen lí qì Yēhéhuá , bú zūn tāde méng .

11 Jiānyín hé jiǔ , bìng xīn jiǔ , duó qù rén de xīn .

12 Wǒde mín qiú wèn mùǒu , yǐwéi mù zhàng néng zhǐshì tāmen , yīnwei tāmende yín xīn shǐ tāmen shī mí , tāmen jiù xíng yín lí qì shén , bù shǒu yuē shù .

13 Zaì gè shāndǐng , gè gāo gāng de xiàngshù , yángshù , lì shù zhī xià , xiànjì shāoxiāng , yīnwei shù yǐng mĕihǎo . suǒyǐ , nǐmen de nǚér yínluàn , nǐmen de xīn fù ( huò zuò ér fù xià tóng ) xíng yín .

14 Nǐmen de nǚér yínluàn , nǐmen de xīn fù xíng yín , wǒ què bú chéngfá tāmen , yīnwei nǐmen zìjǐ lí qún yǔ chāngjì tóngjū , yǔ jìnǚ yītóng xiànjì . zhè wúzhī de mín bì zhì qīng dǎo .

15 Yǐsèliè a , nǐ suīrán xíng yín , Yóudà què bùkĕ fàn zuì . búyào wǎng Jíjiǎ qù , búyào shang dào bǎi yà wén , yĕ búyào zhǐ zhe yǒngshēng de Yēhéhuá qǐshì .

16 Yǐsèliè jué qiáng , yóu rú jué qiáng de mǔ niú . xiànzaì Yēhéhuá yào fàng tāmen , rútóng fàng yánggāo zaì kuānkuò zhī dì .

17 Yǐfǎlián qīnjìn ǒuxiàng , rènpíng tā ba .

18 Tāmen suǒ hē de yǐjing fāsuān . tāmen shícháng xíng yín , tāmende guān zhǎng zuì aì xiūchǐ de shì .

19 Fēng bǎ tāmen guǒ zaì chìbǎng lǐ . tāmen yīn suǒ xiàn de zhaì bì zhì méng xiū .

Héxīāshū 4 Commentary

Chapter 4

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)

Verses 1-5 Hosea reproves for immorality, as well as idolatry. There was no truth, mercy, or knowledge of God in the land: it was ( 2 Kings. 21:16 ) 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.

Verses 6-11 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.

Verses 12-19 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.

Chapter Summary

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.