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.
2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
3 Therefore 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.
4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
5 Therefore 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.
7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.
8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
10 For 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.
11 Whoredom 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.
13 They 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.
14 I 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.
15 Though 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.
16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.
18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.
19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
1 Hear H8085 the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 ye children H1121 of Israel: H3478 for the LORD H3068 hath a controversy H7379 with the inhabitants H3427 of the land, H776 because there is no truth, H571 nor mercy, H2617 nor knowledge H1847 of God H430 in the land. H776
2 By swearing, H422 and lying, H3584 and killing, H7523 and stealing, H1589 and committing adultery, H5003 they break out, H6555 and blood H1818 toucheth H5060 blood. H1818
3 Therefore shall the land H776 mourn, H56 and every one that dwelleth H3427 therein shall languish, H535 with the beasts H2416 of the field, H7704 and with the fowls H5775 of heaven; H8064 yea, the fishes H1709 of the sea H3220 also shall be taken away. H622
4 Yet let no man H376 strive, H7378 nor reprove H3198 another: H376 for thy people H5971 are as they that strive H7378 with the priest. H3548
5 Therefore shalt thou fall H3782 in the day, H3117 and the prophet H5030 also shall fall H3782 with thee in the night, H3915 and I will destroy H1820 thy mother. H517
6 My people H5971 are destroyed H1820 for lack of knowledge: H1847 because thou hast rejected H3988 knowledge, H1847 I will also reject H3988 thee, that thou shalt be no priest H3547 to me: seeing thou hast forgotten H7911 the law H8451 of thy God, H430 I will also forget H7911 thy children. H1121
7 As they were increased, H7230 so they sinned H2398 against me: therefore will I change H4171 their glory H3519 into shame. H7036
8 They eat up H398 the sin H2403 of my people, H5971 and they set H5375 their heart H5315 on their iniquity. H5771
9 And there shall be, like people, H5971 like priest: H3548 and I will punish H6485 them for their ways, H1870 and reward H7725 them their doings. H4611
10 For they shall eat, H398 and not have enough: H7646 they shall commit whoredom, H2181 and shall not increase: H6555 because they have left off H5800 to take heed H8104 to the LORD. H3068
11 Whoredom H2184 and wine H3196 and new wine H8492 take away H3947 the heart. H3820
12 My people H5971 ask H7592 counsel at their stocks, H6086 and their staff H4731 declareth H5046 unto them: for the spirit H7307 of whoredoms H2183 hath caused them to err, H8582 and they have gone a whoring H2181 from under their God. H430
13 They sacrifice H2076 upon the tops H7218 of the mountains, H2022 and burn incense H6999 upon the hills, H1389 under oaks H437 and poplars H3839 and elms, H424 because the shadow H6738 thereof is good: H2896 therefore your daughters H1323 shall commit whoredom, H2181 and your spouses H3618 shall commit adultery. H5003
14 I will not punish H6485 your daughters H1323 when they commit whoredom, H2181 nor your spouses H3618 when they commit adultery: H5003 for themselves are separated H6504 with whores, H2181 and they sacrifice H2076 with harlots: H6948 therefore the people H5971 that doth not understand H995 shall fall. H3832
15 Though thou, Israel, H3478 play the harlot, H2181 yet let not Judah H3063 offend; H816 and come H935 not ye unto Gilgal, H1537 neither go ye up H5927 to Bethaven, H1007 nor swear, H7650 The LORD H3068 liveth. H2416
16 For Israel H3478 slideth back H5637 as a backsliding H5637 heifer: H6510 now the LORD H3068 will feed H7462 them as a lamb H3532 in a large place. H4800
17 Ephraim H669 is joined H2266 to idols: H6091 let him alone. H3240
18 Their drink H5435 is sour: H5493 they have committed whoredom H2181 continually: H2181 her rulers H4043 with shame H7036 do love, H157 Give H3051 ye.
19 The wind H7307 hath bound her up H6887 in her wings, H3671 and they shall be ashamed H954 because of their sacrifices. H2077
1 Hear the word of Jehovah, ye children of Israel; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2 There is nought but swearing and breaking faith, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery; they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
4 Yet let no man strive, neither let any man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
5 And thou shalt stumble in the day, and the prophet also shall stumble 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 also will forget thy children.
7 As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame.
8 They feed on the sin of my people, and set their heart on their iniquity.
9 And it shall be, like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and will requite them their doings.
10 And they shall eat, and not have enough; they shall play the harlot, and shall not increase; because they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.
11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the understanding.
12 My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have played the harlot, `departing' from under their God.
13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters play the harlot, and your brides commit adultery.
14 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.
15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, As Jehovah liveth.
16 For Israel hath behaved himself stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer: now will Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a large place.
17 Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.
18 Their drink is become sour; they play the harlot continually; her rulers dearly love shame.
19 The wind hath wrapped her up in its wings; and they shall be put to shame because of their sacrifices.
1 `Hear a word of Jehovah, sons of Israel, For a strife `is' to Jehovah with inhabitants of the land, For there is no truth, nor kindness, Nor knowledge of God, in the land,
2 Swearing, and lying, and murdering, And stealing, and committing adultery -- have increased, And blood against blood hath touched.
3 Therefore mourn doth the land, And weak is every dweller in it, With the beast of the field, And with the fowl of the heavens, And the fishes of the sea -- they are removed.
4 Only, let no one strive, nor reprove a man, And thy people `are' as those striving with a priest.
5 And thou hast stumbled in the day, And stumbled hath also a prophet with thee in the night, And I have cut off thy mother.
6 Cut off have been My people for lack of knowledge, Because thou knowledge hast rejected, I reject thee from being priest to Me, And thou forgettest the law of thy God, I forget thy sons, I also!
7 According to their abundance so they sinned against Me, Their honour into shame I change.
8 The sin of My people they do eat, And unto their iniquity lift up their soul.
9 And it hath been, like people, like priest, And I have charged on it its ways, And its habitual doings I return to it.
10 And they have eaten, and are not satisfied, They have gone a-whoring, and increase not, For they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.
11 Whoredom, and wine, and new wine, take the heart,
12 My people at its staff asketh and its rod declareth to it, For a spirit of whoredoms hath caused to err, And they go a-whoring from under their God.
13 On tops of the mountains they do sacrifice, And on the hills they make perfume, Under oak, and poplar, and terebinth, For good `is' its shade.
14 Therefore commit whoredom do your daughters, And your spouses commit adultery, I do not see after your daughters when they commit whoredom, And after your spouses when they commit adultery, For they with the harlots are separated, And with the whores they do sacrifice, A people that doth not understand kicketh.
15 Though a harlot thou `art', O Israel, Let not Judah become guilty, And come not ye in to Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-Aven, Nor swear ye, Jehovah liveth.
16 For as a refractory heifer hath Israel turned aside, Now doth Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a large place.
17 Joined to idols `is' Ephraim, let him alone.
18 Sour `is' their drink, They have gone diligently a-whoring, Her protectors have loved shame thoroughly.
19 Distressed her hath wind with its wings, And they are ashamed of their sacrifices!
1 Hear the word of Jehovah, ye children of Israel; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land; for there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2 Swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, -- they break out; and blood toucheth blood.
3 For this shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowl of the heavens, yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
4 Yet let no man strive, and let no man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
5 And thou shalt stumble by day; and the prophet also shall stumble with thee by night: and I will destroy thy mother.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; for thou hast rejected knowledge, and I will reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.
7 As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame.
8 They eat the sin of my people, and their soul longeth for their iniquity.
9 And it shall be as the people so the priest; and I will visit their ways upon them, and recompense to them their doings;
10 and they shall eat, and not have enough; they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: for they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.
11 Fornication, and wine, and new wine take away the heart.
12 My people ask counsel of their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredoms causeth [them] to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God:
13 they sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oak and poplar and terebinth, because the shade thereof is good; therefore your daughters play the harlot and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your daughters-in-law for their committing adultery; for they themselves go aside with harlots, and they sacrifice with prostitutes: and the people that doth not understand shall come to ruin.
15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, let not Judah trespass; and come ye not unto Gilgal, neither go up to Beth-aven, nor swear [As] Jehovah liveth!
16 For Israel is refractory as an untractable heifer; now will Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a wide [pasture].
17 -- Ephraim is joined to idols: leave him alone.
18 Their drink is sour; they give themselves up to whoredom; her great men passionately love [their] shame.
19 The wind hath wrapped her up in its wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
1 Hear the word of Yahweh, you children of Israel; For Yahweh has a charge against the inhabitants of the land: "Indeed there is no truth, Nor goodness, Nor knowledge of God in the land.
2 There is cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; They break boundaries, and bloodshed causes bloodshed.
3 Therefore the land will mourn, And everyone who dwells therein will waste away. All living things in her, Even the animals of the field and the birds of the sky; Yes, the fish of the sea also die.
4 "Yet let no man bring a charge, neither let any man accuse; For your people are like those who bring charges against a priest.
5 You will stumble in the day, And the prophet will also stumble with you in the night; And I will destroy your mother.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, That you may be no priest to me. Because you have your God's law, I will also forget your children.
7 As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me. I will change their glory into shame.
8 They feed on the sin of my people, And set their heart on their iniquity.
9 It will be, like people, like priest; And I will punish them for their ways, And will repay them for their deeds.
10 They will eat, and not have enough. They will play the prostitute, and will not increase; Because they have abandoned giving to Yahweh.
11 Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away understanding.
12 My people consult with their wooded idol, And answer to a stick of wood. Indeed the spirit of prostitution has led them astray, And they have been unfaithful to their God.
13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, And burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, Because its shade is good. Therefore your daughters play the prostitute, And your brides commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the prostitute, Nor your brides when they commit adultery; Because the men consort with prostitutes, And they sacrifice with the shrine prostitutes; And the people that does not understand will come to ruin.
15 "Though you, Israel, play the prostitute, Yet don't let Judah offend; And don't come to Gilgal, Neither go up to Beth Aven, Nor swear, 'As Yahweh lives.'
16 For Israel has behaved extremely stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer. Then how will Yahweh feed them like a lamb in a meadow.
17 Ephraim is joined to idols. Leave him alone!
18 Their drink has become sour. They play the prostitute continually. Her rulers dearly love their shameful way.
19 The wind has wrapped her up in its wings; And they shall be disappointed because of their sacrifices.
1 Give ear to the word of the Lord, O children of Israel; for the Lord has a cause against the people of this land, because there is no good faith in it, and no mercy and no knowledge of God in the land.
2 There is cursing and broken faith, violent death and attacks on property, men are untrue in married life, houses are broken into, and there is blood touching blood.
3 Because of this the land will be dry, and everyone living in it will be wasted away, with the beasts of the field and the birds of heaven; even the fishes of the sea will be taken away.
4 Let no man go to law or make protests, for your people are like those who go to law with a priest.
5 You will not be able to keep on your feet by day, and by night the prophet will be falling down with you, and I will give your mother to destruction.
6 Destruction has overtaken my people because they have no knowledge; because you have given up knowledge, I will give you up, so that you will be no priest to me, because you have not kept in mind the law of your God, I will not keep your children in my memory.
7 Even while they were increasing in number they were sinning against me; I will let their glory be changed into shame.
8 The sin of my people is like food to them; and their desire is for their wrongdoing.
9 And the priest will be like the people; I will give them punishment for their evil ways, and the reward of their acts.
10 They will have food, but they will not be full; they will be false to me, but they will not be increased, because they no longer give thought to the Lord.
11 Loose ways and new wine take away wisdom.
12 My people get knowledge from their tree, and their rod gives them news; for a false spirit is the cause of their wandering, and they have been false to their God.
13 They make offerings on the tops of mountains, burning perfumes in high places, under trees of every sort, because their shade is good: and so your daughters are given up to loose ways and your brides are false to their husbands.
14 I will not give punishment to your daughters or your brides for their evil behaviour; for they make themselves separate with loose women, and make offerings with those who are used for sex purposes in the worship of the gods: the people who have no wisdom will be sent away.
15 Do not you, O Israel, come into error; do not you, O Judah, come to Gilgal, or go up to Beth-aven, or take an oath, By the living Lord.
16 For Israel is uncontrolled, like a cow which may not be controlled; now will the Lord give them food like a lamb in a wide place.
17 Ephraim is joined to false gods; let him be.
18 Their drink has become bitter; they are completely false; her rulers take pleasure in shame.
19 They are folded in the skirts of the wind; they will be shamed because of their offerings.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Hosea 4
Commentary on Hosea 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 4
Ho 4:1-19. Henceforth the Prophet Speaks Plainly and without Symbol, in Terse, Sententious Propositions.
In this chapter he reproves the people and priests for their sins in the interregnum which followed Jeroboam's death; hence there is no mention of the king or his family; and in Ho 4:2 bloodshed and other evils usual in a civil war are specified.
1. Israel—the ten tribes.
controversy—judicial ground of complaint (Isa 1:18; Jer 25:31; Mic 6:2).
no … knowledge of God—exhibited in practice (Jer 22:16).
2. they break out—bursting through every restraint.
blood toucheth blood—literally, "bloods." One act of bloodshed follows another without any interval between (see 2Ki 15:8-16, 25; Mic 7:2).
3. land … languish—(Isa 19:8; 24:4; Joe 1:10, 12).
sea—including all bodies of water, as pools and even rivers (see on Isa 19:5). A general drought, the greatest calamity in the East, is threatened.
4. let no man … reprove—Great as is the sin of Israel, it is hopeless to reprove them; for their presumptuous guilt is as great as that of one who refuses to obey the priest when giving judgment in the name of Jehovah, and who therefore is to be put to death (De 17:12). They rush on to their own destruction as wilfully as such a one.
thy people—the ten tribes of Israel; distinct from Judah (Ho 4:1).
5. fall in the day—in broad daylight, a time when an attack would not be expected (see on Jer 6:4, 5; Jer 15:8).
in … night—No time, night or day, shall be free from the slaughter of individuals of the people, as well as of the false prophets.
thy mother—the Israelitish state, of which the citizens are the children (Ho 2:2).
6. lack of knowledge—"of God" (Ho 4:1), that is, lack of piety. Their ignorance was wilful, as the epithet, "My people," implies; they ought to have known, having the opportunity, as the people of God.
thou—O priest, so-called. Not regularly constituted, but still bearing the name, while confounding the worship of Jehovah and of the calves in Beth-el (1Ki 12:29, 31).
I will … forget thy children—Not only those who then were alive should be deprived of the priesthood, but their children who, in the ordinary course would have succeeded them, should be set aside.
7. As they were increased—in numbers and power. Compare Ho 4:6, "thy children," to which their "increase" in numbers refers.
so they sinned—(Compare Ho 10:1 and Ho 13:6).
will I change their glory into shame—that is, I will strip them of all they now glory in (their numbers and power), and give them shame instead. A just retribution: as they changed their glory into shame, by idolatry (Ps 106:20; Jer 2:11; Ro 1:23; Php 3:19).
8. eat … sin of my people—that is, the sin offerings (Le 6:26; 10:17). The priests greedily devoured them.
set their heart on their iniquity—literally, "lift up the animal soul to lust after," or strongly desire. Compare De 24:15, Margin; Ps 24:4; Jer 22:27. The priests set their own hearts on the iniquity of the people, instead of trying to suppress it. For the more the people sinned, the more sacrificial victims in atonement for sin the priests gained.
9. like people, like priest—They are one in guilt; therefore they shall be one in punishment (Isa 24:2).
reward them their doings—in homely phrase, "pay them back in their own coin" (Pr 1:31).
10. eat, and not have enough—just retribution on those who "eat up (greedily) the sin of My people" (Ho 4:8; Mic 6:14; Hag 1:6).
whoredom, and … not increase—literally, "break forth"; used of giving birth to children (Ge 28:14, Margin; compare Ge 38:29). Not only their wives, but their concubines, shall be barren. To be childless was considered a great calamity among the Jews.
11. A moral truth applicable to all times. The special reference here is to the licentious orgies connected with the Syrian worship, which lured Israel away from the pure worship of God (Isa 28:1, 7; Am 4:1).
take away the heart—that is, the understanding; make men blind to their own true good (Ec 7:7).
12. Instances of their understanding ("heart") being "taken away."
stocks—wooden idols (Jer 2:27; Hab 2:19).
staff—alluding to divination by rods (see on Eze 21:21, 22). The diviner, says Rosenmuller, threw a rod from him, which was stripped of its bark on one side, not on the other: if the bare side turned uppermost, it was a good omen; if the side with the bark, it was a bad omen. The Arabs used two rods, the one marked God bids, the other, God forbids; whichever came out first, in drawing them out of a case, gave the omen for, or against, an undertaking.
declareth—that is, is consulted to inform them of future events.
spirit of whoredoms—a general disposition on the part of all towards idolatry (Ho 5:4).
err—go astray from the true God.
from under their God—They have gone away from God under whom they were, as a wife is under the dominion of her husband.
13. upon … mountains—High places were selected by idolaters on which to sacrifice, because of their greater nearness to the heavenly hosts which they worshipped (De 12:2).
elms—rather, "terebinths" [Maurer].
shadow … good—screening the lascivious worshippers from the heat of the sun.
daughters … commit whoredom … spouses … adultery—in the polluted worship of Astarte, the Phœnician goddess of love.
14. I will not punish … daughters—I will visit with the heaviest punishments "not" the unchaste "daughters and spouses," but the fathers and husbands; for it is these who "themselves" have set the bad example, so that as compared with the punishment of the latter, that of the former shall seem as nothing [Munster].
separated with whores—withdrawn from the assembly of worshippers to some receptacle of impurity for carnal connection with whores.
sacrifice with harlots—They commit lewdness with women who devote their persons to be violated in honor of Astarte. (So the Hebrew for "harlots" means, as distinguished from "whores"). Compare Nu 25:1-3; and the prohibition, De 23:18.
not understand—(Isa 44:18; 45:20).
shall fall—shall be cast down.
15. Though Israel's ten tribes indulge in spiritual harlotry, at least thou, Judah, who hast the legal priesthood, and the temple rites, and Jerusalem, do not follow her bad example.
Gilgal—situated between Jordan and Jericho on the confines of Samaria; once a holy place to Jehovah (Jos 5:10-15; 1Sa 10:8; 15:21); afterwards desecrated by idol-worship (Ho 9:15; 12:11; Am 4:4; 5:5; compare Jud 3:19, Margin).
Beth-aven—that is, "house of vanity" or idols: a name substituted in contempt for Beth-el, "the house of God"; once sacred to Jehovah (Ge 28:17, 19; 35:7), but made by Jeroboam the seat of the worship of the calves (1Ki 12:28-33; 13:1; Jer 48:13; Am 3:14; 7:13). "Go up" refers to the fact that Beth-el was on a hill (Jos 16:1).
nor swear, The Lord liveth—This formula of oath was appointed by God Himself (De 6:13; 10:20; Jer 4:2). It is therefore here forbidden not absolutely, but in conjunction with idolatry and falsehood (Isa 48:1; Eze 20:39; Zep 1:5).
16. backsliding—Translate, "Israel is refractory, as a refractory heifer," namely, one that throws the yoke off her neck. Israel had represented God under the form of "calves" (1Ki 12:28); but it is she herself who is one.
lamb in a large place—not in a good sense, as in Isa 30:23. Here there is irony: lambs like a large pasture; but it is not so safe for them as a small one, duly fenced from wild beasts. God will "feed" them, but it shall be with the "rod" (Mic 7:14). It shall be no longer in the narrow territory of Israel, but "in a large place," namely, they shall be scattered in exile over the wide realm of Assyria, a prey to their foes; as lambs, which are timid, gregarious, and not solitary, are a prey when scattered asunder to wild beasts.
17. Ephraim—the ten tribes. Judah was at this time not so given to idolatry as afterwards.
joined to—closely and voluntarily; identifying themselves with them as a whoremonger becomes one flesh with the harlot (Nu 25:3; 1Co 6:16, 17).
idols—The Hebrew means also "sorrows," "pains," implying the pain which idolatry brings on its votaries.
let him alone—Leave him to himself. Let him reap the fruits of his own perverse choice; his case is desperate; say nothing to him (compare Jer 7:16). Here Ho 4:15 shows the address is to Judah, to avoid the contagion of Israel's bad example. He is bent on his own ruin; leave him to his fate, lest, instead of saving him, thou fall thyself (Isa 48:20; Jer 50:8; 51:6, 45; 2Co 6:17).
18. Their drink is sour—metaphor for utter degeneracy of principle (Isa 1:22). Or, unbridled licentiousness; not mere ordinary sin, but as abandoned as drunkards who vomit and smell sour with wine potations [Calvin]. Maurer not so well translates, "When their drinking is over, they commit whoredoms," namely, in honor of Astarte (Ho 4:13, 14).
her rulers—Israel's; literally, "shields" (compare Ps 47:9).
with shame … love, Give ye—(Pr 30:15). No remedy could be effectual against their corruptions since the very rulers sold justice for gifts [Calvin]. Maurer translates, "The rulers are marvelously enamored of shame." English Version is better.
19. Israel shall be swept away from her land (Ho 4:16) suddenly and violently as if by "the wings of the wind" (Ps 18:10; 104:3; Jer 4:11, 12).
ashamed … of their sacrifices—disappointed to their shame in their hope of help through their sacrifices to idols.