Hosea 4

Hosea · Chapter 4

Hosea 4:18

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
18Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.When their liquor is gone, they turn to prostitution; their rulers dearly love disgrace.Their drink is become sour; they play the harlot continually; her rulers dearly love shame.

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
it has come to an endסָ֖רsarH5493H
to turn aside: remove

סוּר (sur) : remove 1) to turn aside, depart 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn aside, turn in unto 1a2) to depart, depart from way, avoid 1a3) to be removed 1a4) to come to an end 1b) (Polel) to turn aside 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to turn aside, cause to depart, remove, take away, put away, depose 1c2) to put aside, leave undone, retract, reject, abolish 1d) (Hophal) to be taken away, be removed

drink theirסָבְאָ֑םsa-ve-'AMH5435
liquor

סֹ֫בֶא (so.ve) drink, liquor, wine

certainly to prostitute themselvesהַזְנֵ֣הhaz-NEHH2181
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 have prostituted themselvesהִזְנ֔וּhiz-NUH2181
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 have lovedאָהֲב֥וּ'a-ha-VUH0157G
to love: lover

אָהֵב (a.hav) : lover 1) to love 1a) (Qal) 1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual 1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom 1a3) human love for or to God 1a4) act of being a friend 1a4a) lover (participle) 1a4b) friend (participle) 1a5) God's love toward man 1a5a) to individual men 1a5b) to people Israel 1a5c) to righteousness 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) lovely (participle) 1b2) loveable (participle) 1c) (Piel) 1c1) friends 1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers) 2) to like Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)

loveהֵב֛וּhe-VUH0157G
to love: lover

אָהֵב (a.hav) : lover 1) to love 1a) (Qal) 1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual 1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom 1a3) human love for or to God 1a4) act of being a friend 1a4a) lover (participle) 1a4b) friend (participle) 1a5) God's love toward man 1a5a) to individual men 1a5b) to people Israel 1a5c) to righteousness 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) lovely (participle) 1b2) loveable (participle) 1c) (Piel) 1c1) friends 1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers) 2) to like Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)

shameקָל֖וֹןka-LONH7036
dishonor

קָלוֹן (qa.lon) 1) shame, disgrace, dishonour, ignominy 1a) ignominy (of nation) 1b) dishonour, disgrace (personal)

shields itsמָגִנֶּֽיהָ׃ma-gi-NEI-haH4043
shield

מָגֵן (ma.gen) shield, buckler

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