Hosea

Hosea 4 ©

1 God's judgments against the sins of the people, 6 and of the priests, 12 and against their idolatry. 15 Judah is exhorted to take warning by Israel's calamity.

1

HEAR athe word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for bthe LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because cthere is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

a Is. 34.1; 42.23; 51.1. Je. 22.29.
b Mi. 6.2. ch. 12.2. Is. 1.18; 3.13; 5.3,4; 43.26. Je. 25.31. Am. 7.4.
c Je. 4.22,28; 5.4. Is. 27.11; 59.13.
2

dBy swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and 1blood etoucheth blood.

d Is. 24.5; 59.7,12-15. Je. 9.2-5. Eze. 22.2-13,27.
e ch. 5.2; 6.9. 2Ki. 15.10,14. 1Ki. 16.11.
3

Therefore fshall the land mourn, 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.

f Is. 24.4,6. Je. 4.23-28; 12.4. Am. 1.2; 5.16. Zep. 1.3. Na. 1.4. Joel 1.10. Am. 8.8.
4

Yet glet no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are has they that strive with the priest.

g Ge. 6.3. Mat. 7.6. Am. 5.13. Pr. 9.7,8. v.17. Le. 19.17.
h Je. 15.10; 18.18; 20.2; 26.8,11. Am. 5.10. 2Ki. 17.13-15. De. 17.12. Ro. 2.8. Ex. 32.7. De. 9.12.
5

Therefore ishalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will 2destroy thy jmother.

i Je. 6.12,15; 15.8; 4.15,16. ch. 9.7,8. Mat. 15.14. Mi. 3.5-7.
j ch. 2.2. Je. 6.2; 15.8. 2Ki. 17.6.
6

¶My people are 3destroyed kfor lack of knowledge: because lthou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that mthou shalt be no priest to me: seeing nthou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also oforget thy children.

k v.1. Pr. 29.18. Is. 27.11; 5.13. Eze. 1.3,7. Mat. 15.14. 2Co. 4.3,4.
l 2Ch. 11.14. 1Ki. 12.31. Is. 56.10-12. Ps. 81.11,12.
m Ex. 19.6.
n 2Ki. 17.15. Je. 2.32.
o ch. 1.6; 2.2; 9.11-17.
7

pAs they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore qwill I change their glory into shame.

p ch. 13.6; 11.2. De. 32.15. Je. 5.7,8. Ro. 2.4.
q Mal. 2.9. 1Sa. 2.30. Ps. 106.20. Je. 2.11.
8

They reat up the sin of my people, and they 4set their sheart on their iniquity.

r Le. 6.25,26; 7.6,7; 10.17.
s Eze. 14.3,7.
9

And there shall be, tlike people, like priest: and I will 5punish them for their ways, and 6reward them their doings.

t Is. 24.2. Je. 5.31; 14.15,16. Mat. 15.14.
10

For uthey shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit vwhoredom, and shall not increase: because they whave left off to take heed to the LORD.

u Le. 26.26. Mi. 6.14. Am. 4.8. Hag. 1.6. Pr. 1.3,25.
v v.14. ch. 9.11-17.
w De. 32.15-21. Ps. 89.7. De. 28.12,32. 2Pe. 2.20,22.
11

xWhoredom and wine and new wine ytake away the heart.

x Is. 28.7. Pr. 23.31-35; 31.3. v.10,12. Ec. 7.7. Is. 5.12. ch. 13.6.
y 1Ki. 11.4.
12

zMy people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for athe spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone ba whoring from under their God.

a ch. 5.4. Re. 17.2,3. Is. 44.20. 2Th. 2.9-11.
b Je. 3.1-3. Eze. 16; 23. 2Ki. 17.7-17. v.13.
z Je. 2.27; 3.9; 10.8. Hab. 2.18,19. Eze. 21.21.
13

They csacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under doaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore eyour daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

c Is. 1.29; 57.5,7. Eze. 6.13; 20.18; 16.16,25.
d Ge. 35.8. Am. 2.9.
e Ro. 1.23-28. Nu. 25.1,2. 2Ti. 3.13. Am. 7.17. Ps. 81.12.
14

7I will not fpunish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for gthemselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: htherefore the people that doth not understand shall 8fall.

f Ps. 81.12. Ro. 1.28. Is. 1.5. He. 12.8. v.17.
g 1Co. 6.16. 1Ki. 14.23,24; 15.12.
h v.1,5,6.
15

¶Though thou, Israel, iplay the harlot, yet jlet not Judah offend; and come not ye unto kGilgal, neither go ye up to lBeth-aven, mnor swear, The LORD liveth.

i 1Ki. 12 to 2Ki. 17. Je. 3.6-9. Eze. 23.4-8.
j Ps. 76.1,2. Lu. 12.48. Ep. 5.11.
k Jos. 5.9. 1Sa. 15.21. ch. 9.15; 12.11. Am. 4.4; 5.5.
l 1Ki. 12.29. ch. 10.5,8; 5.8.
m 1Ki. 18.21. Zep. 1.4,5. Eze. 20.39; 23.38,39. Am. 8.14.
16

For Israel nslideth back oas a backsliding heifer: now the LORD pwill feed them as a lamb in a large place.

n Je. 7.24. Zec. 7.11,12. ch. 11.2,7.
o Je. 3.6.
p Le. 26.33. 2Ki. 17.6.
17

qEphraim is joined to idols: rlet him alone.

q ch. 5.3.
r v.4,14. Mat. 15.14. Ge. 6.3. Eze. 20.39. Re. 22.11. Ps. 81.12.
18

sTheir drink is 9sour: they have committed whoredom tcontinually: her 10rulers with shame udo love, Give ye.

s De. 32.32. Is. 1.22.
t v.2,10,12-14. 2Ki. 17.7-17.
u Pr. 30.15. Mi. 3.11; 7.3. 1Sa. 8.3.
19

vThe wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be washamed because of their sacrifices.

v ch. 13.15. Je. 4.11,12; 51.1. Zec. 5.9-11. 2Ki. 15.29; 17.6. Is. 57.13.
w Je. 2.26-28; 3.24,25.