Hosea 4

King James Version

Full text for Hosea Chapter 4

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.

2By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

3Therefore shall 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.

4Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people [are] as they that strive with the priest.

5Therefore 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.

7As they were increased, so they sinned against me: [therefore] will I change their glory into shame.

8They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.

9And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

10For 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.

11Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

12¶ My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused [them] to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.

13They 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.

14I 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.

15Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, [yet] let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.

16For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

17Ephraim [is] joined to idols: let him alone.

18Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers [with] shame do love, Give ye.

19The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Hosea 4 opens with God's controversy against Israel for their pervasive lack of truth, mercy, and knowledge of God, manifested in widespread sin. The nation, including its priests, is depicted as being destroyed for rejecting divine knowledge and engaging in spiritual whoredom and idolatry. Consequently, both the land and its people face severe judgment, as their glory will be turned to shame.

Medium Summary

The LORD declares a controversy against the children of Israel due to their profound absence of truth, mercy, and knowledge of God, leading to rampant sin such as swearing, lying, killing, stealing, and adultery. This moral decay will result in the land mourning and all its inhabitants, including animals, languishing. God laments that His people are destroyed for their rejection of knowledge, stating that He will reject the priests from serving Him because they have forgotten His law. Both the people and the priests are equally culpable and will face punishment, as their prosperity has only led to increased sin and a turning away from the LORD. Israel is depicted as engaging in spiritual whoredom, seeking counsel from idols and sacrificing on high places, which corrupts the entire society. Judah is warned not to follow Israel's idolatrous path, while Ephraim is firmly entrenched in idol worship, facing inevitable shame and destruction.

Long Summary

Hosea 4 begins with a divine indictment against the children of Israel, declaring that the LORD has a controversy with them because the land lacks truth, mercy, and the knowledge of God. Their transgressions are enumerated, including swearing, lying, killing, stealing, and adultery, which have become so prevalent that "blood toucheth blood." As a direct consequence of this widespread sin, the land itself will mourn, and all its inhabitants, from people to beasts, fowls, and even fish, will suffer and languish. The prophet notes that no one should strive or reprove, as the people themselves contend with the priest, indicating a complete breakdown of spiritual authority and moral order. A central theme is God's lament that His people are destroyed for their lack of knowledge, specifically because they have actively rejected it. This rejection leads to God's reciprocal rejection of the priests from their office, and a promise to forget their children, because they have forgotten the law of their God. The chapter highlights that as Israel prospered, their sin against God only increased, leading to a divine promise to change their glory into shame. The priests are implicated, as they "eat up the sin" of the people and desire their iniquity, leading to the pronouncement, "like people, like priest," with both facing punishment for their ways. Their abandonment of the LORD results in dissatisfaction despite eating, and a lack of increase despite whoredom. The chapter further identifies whoredom, wine, and new wine as agents that "take away the heart," leading the people to seek counsel from inanimate idols and engage in pagan sacrifices on mountains and hills. This spiritual infidelity is so pervasive that it corrupts the entire social fabric, leading to their daughters and spouses committing whoredom and adultery. God declares He will not punish the women directly, as the men themselves are separated with harlots and sacrifice with them, indicating a deep-seated societal corruption where understanding has ceased. Judah is sternly warned not to imitate Israel's harlotry, nor to frequent idolatrous sites like Gilgal or Bethaven, nor to swear by the LORD falsely. Israel is likened to a "backsliding heifer," stubborn and rebellious, and Ephraim is described as "joined to idols," left alone in their chosen path of sin. Their continuous whoredom, sour drink, and rulers' greed ("Give ye") culminate in their being bound up by the wind, facing shame for their futile sacrifices.

Core Concepts

  • Lack of KnowledgeIsrael's destruction is directly attributed to their rejection of the knowledge of God, leading to a breakdown of truth and mercy within the land. This spiritual ignorance is not passive but an active turning away from divine instruction.
  • Spiritual Whoredom and IdolatryThe people's unfaithfulness to God is repeatedly described as "whoredom," manifested in seeking counsel from idols ("stocks" and "staffs") and offering sacrifices on high places to pagan deities. This spiritual adultery corrupts their hearts and leads to moral decay.
  • Corruption of PriestsThe priests are not exempt from judgment; they are accused of feeding on the people's sin and are rejected by God because they have forgotten His law. Their failure to uphold divine knowledge contributes significantly to the nation's downfall.
  • Societal Decay and JudgmentThe widespread sin—swearing, lying, killing, stealing, adultery—results in a comprehensive judgment affecting not only the people but also the land, its animals, and even its fish. This demonstrates the interconnectedness of moral action and environmental consequences.
  • "Like People, Like Priest"This phrase encapsulates the idea that the spiritual and moral state of the leadership (priests) mirrors that of the populace, and both are held accountable for their actions. Neither group can escape divine punishment for their shared iniquity.
  • Warning to JudahDespite Israel's deep-seated apostasy, Judah is explicitly warned not to follow their example of harlotry and idolatry, highlighting that divine judgment is not inevitable for all if they choose a different path.
  • Ephraim's StubbornnessEphraim (the Northern Kingdom) is depicted as being "joined to idols" and is to be left alone in their chosen path of sin, signifying their deep-rooted and unrepentant commitment to idolatry, leading to their ultimate shame and destruction.