Hosea 5:4

4 ¹Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. For ²the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they know not 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.''

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Hosea 5:4 In-Context

2 And the revolters have gone deep into slaughter, but I will discipline all of them.

3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me; for now, O Ephraim, you have played the whore; Israel is defiled.

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.

5 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Israel and Ephraim shall stumble in his guilt; Judah also shall stumble with them.

6 With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them.

Cross References

• 1. 5:4 [Isa. 59:2]
• 2. 5:4 ch. 4:12