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
Hear H8085 ye, O mountains, H2022 the LORD'S H3068 controversy, H7379 and ye strong H386 foundations H4146 of the earth: H776 for the LORD H3068 hath a controversy H7379 with his people, H5971 and he will plead H3198 with Israel. H3478
For my people H5971 is foolish, H191 they have not known H3045 me; they are sottish H5530 children, H1121 and they have none understanding: H995 they are wise H2450 to do evil, H7489 but to do good H3190 they have no knowledge. H3045
The LORD H3068 standeth up H5324 to plead, H7378 and standeth H5975 to judge H1777 the people. H5971 The LORD H3068 will enter H935 into judgment H4941 with the ancients H2205 of his people, H5971 and the princes H8269 thereof: for ye have eaten up H1197 the vineyard; H3754 the spoil H1500 of the poor H6041 is in your houses. H1004
The LORD H3068 hath also a controversy H7379 with Judah, H3063 and will punish H6485 Jacob H3290 according to his ways; H1870 according to his doings H4611 will he recompense H7725 him.
And say, H559 Hear H8085 ye the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 O kings H4428 of Judah, H3063 and inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem; H3389 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 Behold, I will bring H935 evil H7451 upon this place, H4725 the which whosoever heareth, H8085 his ears H241 shall tingle. H6750
Awake G1594 to righteousness, G1346 and G2532 sin G264 not; G3361 for G1063 some G5100 have G2192 not the knowledge G56 of God: G2316 I speak G3004 this to G4314 your G5213 shame. G1791
And G2532 even as G2531 they did G1381 not G3756 like G1381 to retain G2192 God G2316 in G1722 their knowledge, G1922 God G2316 gave G3860 them G846 over G3860 to G1519 a reprobate G96 mind, G3563 to do G4160 those things which are G2520 not G3361 convenient; G2520
Yet G2532 ye have G1097 not G3756 known G1097 him; G846 but G1161 I G1473 know G1492 him: G846 and G2532 if G1437 I should say, G2036 G3754 I know G1492 him G846 not, G3756 I shall be G2071 a liar G5583 like G3664 unto you: G5216 but G235 I know G1492 him, G846 and G2532 keep G5083 his G846 saying. G3056
The good H2623 man is perished H6 out of the earth: H776 and there is none upright H3477 among men: H120 they all lie in wait H693 for blood; H1818 they hunt H6679 every man H376 his brother H251 with a net. H2764 That they may do evil H7451 with both hands H3709 earnestly, H3190 the prince H8269 asketh, H7592 and the judge H8199 asketh for a reward; H7966 and the great H1419 man, he uttereth H1696 his mischievous H1942 desire: H5315 so they wrap it up. H5686 The best H2896 of them is as a brier: H2312 the most upright H3477 is sharper than a thorn hedge: H4534 the day H3117 of thy watchmen H6822 and thy visitation H6486 cometh; H935 now shall be their perplexity. H3998 Trust H539 ye not in a friend, H7453 put ye not confidence H982 in a guide: H441 keep H8104 the doors H6607 of thy mouth H6310 from her that lieth H7901 in thy bosom. H2436
Now therefore hear H8085 thou the word H1697 of the LORD: H3068 Thou sayest, H559 Prophesy H5012 not against Israel, H3478 and drop H5197 not thy word against the house H1004 of Isaac. H3446
Yet hear H8085 the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 O Zedekiah H6667 king H4428 of Judah; H3063 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of thee, Thou shalt not die H4191 by the sword: H2719
But thou shalt say H559 unto them, This is a nation H1471 that obeyeth H8085 not the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 their God, H430 nor receiveth H3947 correction: H4148 truth H530 is perished, H6 and is cut off H3772 from their mouth. H6310
Stand H5975 in the gate H8179 of the LORD'S H3068 house, H1004 and proclaim H7121 there this word, H1697 and say, H559 Hear H8085 the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 all ye of Judah, H3063 that enter in H935 at these gates H8179 to worship H7812 the LORD. H3068 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel, H3478 Amend H3190 your ways H1870 and your doings, H4611 and I will cause you to dwell H7931 in this place. H4725 Trust H982 ye not in lying H8267 words, H1697 saying, H559 The temple H1964 of the LORD, H3068 The temple H1964 of the LORD, H3068 The temple H1964 of the LORD, H3068 are these. For if ye throughly H3190 amend H3190 your ways H1870 and your doings; H4611 if ye throughly H6213 execute H6213 judgment H4941 between a man H376 and his neighbour; H7453 If ye oppress H6231 not the stranger, H1616 the fatherless, H3490 and the widow, H490 and shed H8210 not innocent H5355 blood H1818 in this place, H4725 neither walk H3212 after H310 other H312 gods H430 to your hurt: H7451
For this shall the earth H776 mourn, H56 and the heavens H8064 above H4605 be black: H6937 because I have spoken H1696 it, I have purposed H2161 it, and will not repent, H5162 neither will I turn back H7725 from it.
Hear H8085 ye the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 O house H1004 of Jacob, H3290 and all the families H4940 of the house H1004 of Israel: H3478
Hear H8085 the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 ye that tremble H2730 at his word; H1697 Your brethren H251 that hated H8130 you, that cast you out H5077 for my name's H8034 sake, said, H559 Let the LORD H3068 be glorified: H3513 but he shall appear H7200 to your joy, H8057 and they shall be ashamed. H954
In transgressing H6586 and lying H3584 against the LORD, H3068 and departing away H5253 from H310 our God, H430 speaking H1696 oppression H6233 and revolt, H5627 conceiving H2029 and uttering H1897 from the heart H3820 words H1697 of falsehood. H8267 And judgment H4941 is turned away H5253 backward, H268 and justice H6666 standeth H5975 afar off: H7350 for truth H571 is fallen H3782 in the street, H7339 and equity H5229 cannot H3201 enter. H935 Yea, truth H571 faileth; H5737 and he that departeth H5493 from evil H7451 maketh himself a prey: H7997 and the LORD H3068 saw H7200 it, and it displeased H3415 H5869 him that there was no judgment. H4941
Wherefore hear H8085 the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 ye scornful H3944 men, H582 that rule H4910 this people H5971 which is in Jerusalem. H3389
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Hosea 4
Commentary on Hosea 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
Prophets were sent to be reprovers, to tell people of their faults, and to warn them of the judgments of God, to which by sin they exposed themselves; so the prophet is employed in this and the following chapters. He is here, as counsel for the King of kings, opening an indictment against the people of Israel, and labouring to convince them of sin, and of their misery and danger because of sin, that he might prevail with them to repent and reform.
Hsa 4:1-5
Here is,
Hsa 4:6-11
God is here proceeding in his controversy both with the priests and with the people. The people were as those that strove with the priests (v. 4) when they had priests that did their duty; but the generality of them lived in the neglect of their duty, and here is a word for those priests, and for the people that love to have it so, Jer. 5:31. And it is observable here how the punishment answers to the sin, and how, for the justifying of his own proceedings, God sets the one over-against the other.
Hsa 4:12-19
In these verses we have, as before,