Hosea 4:4-19

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.

6 My people will be destroyed, because they have no knowledge. You have refused to learn, so I will refuse to let you be priests to me. You have forgotten the teachings of your God, so I will forget your children.

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.

12 "My people ask wooden idols for advice; they ask those sticks of wood to advise them! Like prostitutes, they have chased after other gods and have left their own God.

13 They make sacrifices on the tops of the mountains. They burn offerings on the hills, under oaks, poplars, and other trees, because their shade is nice. So your daughters become prostitutes, and your daughters-in-law are guilty of adultery.

14 "But I will not punish your daughters for becoming prostitutes, nor your daughters-in-law for their sins of adultery. I will not punish them, because the men have sexual relations with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with the temple prostitutes. A foolish people will be ruined.

15 "Israel, you act like a prostitute, but do not be guilty toward the Lord. or go up to Beth Aven. Don't make promises, saying, 'As surely as the Lord lives . . .'

16 The people of Israel are stubborn like a stubborn young cow. like lambs in the open country.

17 The Israelites have chosen to worship idols, so leave them alone.

18 When they finish their drinking, they completely give themselves to being prostitutes; they love these disgraceful ways.

19 They will be swept away as if by a whirlwind, and their sacrifices will bring them only shame.

Hosea 4:4-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 4

This chapter contains a new sermon or prophecy, delivered in proper and express words, without types and figures, as before; in which the people of Israel are summoned to appear at the tribunal of God, to hear the charge brought against them, and the sentence to be pronounced upon them, and which would be executed. They are charged with sins of omission and commission; with want of truth and mercy to men, and with ignorance of God; with swearing, lying, murder, theft, and adultery, Ho 4:1,2, the punishment threatened is the sword, famine, and pestilence; which should affect the whole land, and all creatures in it, men, beasts, fowls, and fishes, Ho 4:3, then the priests and false prophets are threatened with falling into calamities along with the people, and with rejection from their office, and forgetfulness of their posterity, and a taking away their glory from them, because of their striving with the true prophets; their rejection of knowledge; forgetfulness of the law of God; covetousness, adultery, and drunkenness, Ho 4:4-11, then the discourse is turned to the people again, who are charged with divination and idolatry, which is spiritual adultery; and therefore, by way of retaliation, their wives and daughters would be left to commit adultery and fornication, Ho 4:12-14, and the chapter is concluded with advice to Israel not to tempt Judah to sin; or to Judah not to do the like, after the example of Israel, who were backsliders, idolaters, left of God and alone; guilty of bribery, and the like shameful things, and would be suddenly filled with shame, Ho 4:15-19.