Hosea 4:9

9 The priests are as wrong as the people, and I will punish them both for what they have done. I will repay them for the wrong they have done.

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 The more priests there are, the more they sin against me. I will take away their honor and give them shame.
8 Since the priests live off the sin offerings of the people, they want the people to sin more and more.
9 The priests are as wrong as the people, and I will punish them both for what they have done. I will repay them for the wrong they have done.
10 "They will eat but not have enough; they will have sexual relations with the prostitutes, but they will not have children, because they have left the Lord to give themselves to
11 prostitution, to old and new wine, which take away their ability to understand.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.