Hosea 4:3

3 Because of this the land dries up, and all its people are dying. Even the wild animals and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying.

Hosea 4:3 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 4:3

Therefore shall the land mourn
Because of the calamities on it, the devastations made in it; nothing growing upon it, through a violent drought; or the grass and corn being trodden down, or eaten up, by a foreign army: and everyone that dwelleth therein shall languish;
that is, every man, an inhabitant thereof, shall become weak, languish away, and die through wounds received by the enemy; or for want of food, or being infected with the wasting and destroying pestilence: with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven;
the one shall die in the field for want of grass to eat, and the other shall drop to the earth through the infection of the air: yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away;
or "gathered" ^F16; to some other place, so as to disappear; or they shall be consumed and die, as Kimchi interprets it; and as all these creatures are for the good of men, for sustenance, comfort, and delight, when they are taken away, it is by way of punishment for their sins. So the Targum,

``the fishes of the sea shall be lessened for their sins.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 (wpoay) "congregabuntur", V. L.; "collgentur", Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius, Schmidt.

Hosea 4:3 In-Context

1 People of Israel, listen to the Lord's message. The Lord has this against you who live in the land: "The people are not true, not loyal to God, nor do those who live in the land even know him.

2 Cursing, lying, killing, stealing and adultery are everywhere. One murder follows another.

3 Because of this the land dries up, and all its people are dying. Even the wild animals and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying.

4 "No one should accuse or blame another person. Don't blame the people, you priests, when they quarrel with you.

5 You will be ruined in the day, and your prophets will be ruined with you in the night. I will also destroy your mother.