Hosea 4

Hosea · Chapter 4

Hosea 4:14

1Hear 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.6My 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.12My 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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
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.I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people without understanding will come to ruin.I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for the men themselves go apart with harlots, and they sacrifice with the prostitutes; and the people that doth not understand shall be overthrown.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
notלֹֽא־lo'-H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

I will visit [judgment]אֶפְק֨וֹד'ef-KODH6485HNo entry
onעַל־'al-H5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

daughters yourבְּנוֹתֵיכֶ֜םbe-no-tei-KHEMH1323G
daughter

בַּת (bat) : daughter 1) daughter 1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin 1a1) as polite address 1a2) as designation of women of a particular place 2) young women, women 1a3) as personification 1a4) daughter-villages 1a5) description of character Also means: bat (בַּת ": village" H1323H)

ifכִּ֣יkiH3588A
for

כִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

they prostitute themselvesתִזְנֶ֗ינָהtiz-NEI-nahH2181
to fornicate

זָנָה (za.nah) 1) to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be a harlot, act as a harlot, commit fornication 1a2) to commit adultery 1a3) to be a cult prostitute 1a4) to be unfaithful (to God) (fig.) 1b) (Pual) to play the harlot 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to commit adultery 1c2) to force into prostitution 1c3) to commit fornication

and onוְעַל־ve-'al-H5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

brides yourכַּלּֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ka-lo-tei-KHEMH3618G
daughter-in-law: bride

כַּלָּה (kal.lah) : bride 1) bride, daughter-in-law 1a) daughter-in-law 1b) bride, young wife Also means: kal.lah (כַּלָּה ": daughter-in-law" H3618H)

ifכִּ֣יkiH3588A
for

כִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

they commit adulteryתְנָאַ֔פְנָהte-na-'AF-nahH5003
to commit adultery

נָאַף (na.aph) 1) to commit adultery 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to commit adultery 1a1a) usually of man 1a1a1) always with wife of another 1a1b) adultery (of women) (participle) 1a2) idolatrous worship (fig.) 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to commit adultery 1b1a) of man 1b1b) adultery (of women) (participle) 1b2) idolatrous worship (fig.)

forכִּי־ki-H3588A
for

כִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

they [masc]הֵם֙hemH1992
they

אִנּוּן (in.nun) these, those, they Aramaic of hem.mah (הֵ֫מָּה "they(masc.)" H1992)

withעִם־'im-H5973A
with

עִם (im) 1) with 1a) with 1b) against 1c) toward 1d) as long as

the prostitutesהַזֹּנ֣וֹתha-zo-NOTH2181
to fornicate

זָנָה (za.nah) 1) to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be a harlot, act as a harlot, commit fornication 1a2) to commit adultery 1a3) to be a cult prostitute 1a4) to be unfaithful (to God) (fig.) 1b) (Pual) to play the harlot 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to commit adultery 1c2) to force into prostitution 1c3) to commit fornication

they go apartיְפָרֵ֔דוּye-fa-RE-duH6504
to scatter

בְּדַר (be.dar) (Pael) to scatter Aramaic of pa.rad (פָּרַד "to separate" H6504)

and withוְעִם־ve-'im-H5973A
with

עִם (im) 1) with 1a) with 1b) against 1c) toward 1d) as long as

the cult prostitutesהַקְּדֵשׁ֖וֹתha-ke-de-SHOTH6948
cult prostitute

קְדֵשָׁה (qe.de.shah) female temple prostitute, harlot

they sacrificeיְזַבֵּ֑חוּye-za-BE-chuH2076
to sacrifice

דְּבַח (de.vach) (P'al) to sacrifice Aramaic of za.vach (זָבַח "to sacrifice" H2076)

and a peopleוְעָ֥םve-'AMH5971A
people

עַם (am) : people/nation 1) nation, people 1a) people, nation 1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

[which] notלֹֽא־lo'-H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

it understandsיָבִ֖יןya-VINH0995
to understand

בִּין (bin) 1) to discern, understand, consider 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to perceive, discern 1a2) to understand, know (with the mind) 1a3) to observe, mark, give heed to, distinguish, consider 1a4) to have discernment, insight, understanding 1b) (Niphal) to be discerning, intelligent, discreet, have understanding 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to understand 1c2) to cause to understand, give understanding, teach 1d) (Hithpolel) to show oneself discerning or attentive, consider diligently 1e) (Polel) to teach, instruct 2) (TWOT) prudent, regard

it will be ruinedיִלָּבֵֽט׃yi-la-VETH3832
to ruin

לָבַט (la.vat) 1) to throw down, thrust down, thrust out, thrust away 1a) (Niphal) to be thrust down, be thrust away, be thrown down, be cast aside

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.