HOSEA
CHAPTER 4
Israel loses all truth, mercy, and the knowledge of God and goes a whoring after false gods.
1 HEAR the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
3 Therefore shall the land mourn, [See
also Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, in which the Lord outlines the relationship
between the bounties of the land and the righteousness or wickedness of the
people.] and every one
that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with
the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.
6 ¶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.
8 They eat up the sin of my people,
[ Keil and Delitzsch explained that the Hebrew phrase
translated as the “sin of my people” referred to “the sin-offering of the people,
the flesh of which the priests were commanded to eat, to wipe away the sin
of the people (see Leviticus 6:26), and the remarks upon this law at Leviticus
10:17). The fulfillment of this command, however, became a sin on the
part of the priests, from the fact that they directed their soul, i.e.
their longing desire, to the transgression of the people; in other words,
that they wished the sins of the people to be increased, in order that
they might receive a good supply of sacrificial meat to eat.” (Commentary,
10:1:78–79.) ] and
they set their heart on their iniquity.
9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.
12 ¶ My people ask counsel at
their stocks, [The stocks were wooden idols. instead
of seeking counsel from the living God,
they looked to the idols.] and their staff [The staffs were divining rods, instruments used to foretell the future, to find lost or hidden objects, and so forth. All were consulted within the Canaanite culture much like divining instruments are used in today’s Satanic cults. ] declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
they looked to the idols.] and their staff [The staffs were divining rods, instruments used to foretell the future, to find lost or hidden objects, and so forth. All were consulted within the Canaanite culture much like divining instruments are used in today’s Satanic cults. ] declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.
15 ¶ Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let
not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, [
Gilgal was where the law of circumcision was renewed after Israel crossed over
Jordan in Joshua’s day, but it had become polluted by idolatry since
the days of Jeroboam. ] neither
go ye up to Beth-aven,
[ Bethaven means “house of iniquity,” and Bethel means
“house of God.” Hosea, like Amos in Amos 4:5, applied the name Bethaven
to the town Bethel to show that the house of God had now become the house
of iniquity and idols.] nor
swear, The LORD liveth.
16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding
heifer: [ What is
mean as slideth back as a backsliding heifer? A
backsliding heifer is one who refuses to follow when led and sets her
feet and slides in the dirt. She is an unmanageable animal and will not
pull together with the other ox yoked with her, nor will she submit to the
guidance of the driver.] now the
LORD will feed them as
a lamb in a large place. [A lamb in a large place
suggests a helpless animal
lost in a large open area with no protection. This figure suggesting Israel’s being scattered among the Gentiles.]
lost in a large open area with no protection. This figure suggesting Israel’s being scattered among the Gentiles.]
17 Ephraim [ Because they
were the two dominant tribes, Judah came to represent all the Israelites in
the southern Kingdom, and Ephraim came to represent the Israelites in
the Northern Kingdom. Thus, as used here, Judah means the southern Kingdom,
and Ephraim the Northern Kingdom. ] is joined
to idols: let him alone.
18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers awith shame do love, Give ye.