Hosea 4:9

9 The people shall become like the priest; and I will visit his ways upon him, and they shall reward him according to his doings.

Hosea 4:9 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 4:9

And there shall be, like people, like priest
No difference between them in their festivals, the one being as greedy of committing intemperance and uncleanness as the other, and in their common conversation of life; though the priests ought both to have given good instructions, and to have set good examples; but instead of that were equally guilty as the people, and so would be alike in their punishment, as it follows: and I will punish them for their ways;
their evil ways, as the Targum; their wicked manner of life and conversation, both of the people and the priests; especially the latter are meant: or, "I will visit upon him his ways" F23; upon everyone of the priests, as well as the people; which visit must be understood in a way of wrath and vengeance: and reward them their doings;
reward them according to their doings, as their sins deserve, and as it is explained in the next verse: or, "I will return their doings to them" F24; bring them back again, when they seemed to be past and gone, and set them before them, and charge them with them, and punish for them.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 (wykrd wyle ytdqpw) "et visitabo super eum vias ejus", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius, Schmidt.
F24 (wl byva wyllemw) "et opera ejus redire faciam", Zanchius.

Hosea 4:9 In-Context

7 According to their greatness, so did they sin against me; therefore I will change their honour into shame.
8 They eat up the sin of my people, and in their iniquity they raise up their soul.
9 The people shall become like the priest; and I will visit his ways upon him, and they shall reward him according to his doings.
10 For they shall eat and not be satisfied; they shall commit whoredom and shall not increase because they have quit showing hospitality unto the LORD.
11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010