Focused Passage

Hosea 4:1-3

The LORD's Covenant Lawsuit Against Israel's Knowledge-Less Rebellion

Hosea 4 moves from the LORD's formal covenant charge against the land, to the failure of priests and people through rejected knowledge, to Israel's idolatrous prostitution, and finally to a warning that Judah must not follow Ephraim into hardened ruin.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land!

2 Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.

3 Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea disappear.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

1 Chronicles 28:9 Classic cross-references Hosea 4:6 Classic cross-references Genesis 6:13 Classic cross-references Genesis 6:11 Classic cross-references Hosea 6:6 Classic cross-references John 17:3 OliveGrove study links Romans 8:20-22 OliveGrove study links Deuteronomy 28:15-24 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Hear שִׁמְע֥וּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural the word דְבַר־ H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular O children בְּנֵ֣י H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular for כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction the LORD לַֽיהוָה֙ H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular has a case רִ֤יב H7379 Noun - masculine singular against עִם־ H5973 Preposition the people יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י H3427 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct of the land הָאָ֔רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular . . . כִּ֠י H3588 Conjunction There is no אֵין־ H369 Adverb truth אֱמֶ֧ת H571 Noun - feminine singular no וְֽאֵין־ H369 Conjunctive waw | Adverb loving devotion חֶ֛סֶד H2617 Noun - masculine singular and no וְאֵֽין־ H369 Conjunctive waw | Adverb knowledge דַּ֥עַת H1847 Noun - feminine singular construct of God אֱלֹהִ֖ים H430 Noun - masculine plural in the land בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ H776 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 2

Cross-references

Jeremiah 23:10 Classic cross-references Ephesians 4:28 Classic cross-references Hosea 10:4 Classic cross-references Hosea 6:9 Classic cross-references Nahum 3:1 Classic cross-references John 17:3 OliveGrove study links Romans 8:20-22 OliveGrove study links Deuteronomy 28:15-24 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Cursing אָלֹ֣ה H422 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute and lying וְכַחֵ֔שׁ H3584 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute murder וְרָצֹ֥חַ H7523 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute and stealing וְגָנֹ֖ב H1589 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute and adultery וְנָאֹ֑ף H5003 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute are rampant פָּרָ֕צוּ H6555 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural one act of bloodshed וְדָמִ֥ים H1818 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural . . . בְּדָמִ֖ים H1818 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural follows another נָגָֽעוּ׃ H5060 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural

Verse 3

Cross-references

Zephaniah 1:3 Classic cross-references Romans 8:20 Classic cross-references Amos 8:8 Classic cross-references Isaiah 24:4 Classic cross-references Nahum 1:4 Classic cross-references John 17:3 OliveGrove study links Romans 8:20-22 OliveGrove study links Deuteronomy 28:15-24 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Therefore עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . כֵּ֣ן׀ H3651 Adverb the land הָאָ֗רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular mourns תֶּאֱבַ֣ל H56 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular and all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct who dwell יוֹשֵׁ֣ב H3427 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular in it בָּ֔הּ Preposition | third person feminine singular will waste away וְאֻמְלַל֙ H535 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular with the beasts בְּחַיַּ֥ת H2416 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of the field הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה H7704 Article | Noun - masculine singular and the birds וּבְע֣וֹף H5775 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of the air הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם H8064 Article | Noun - masculine plural even וְגַם־ H1571 Conjunction the fish דְּגֵ֥י H1709 Noun - masculine plural construct of the sea הַיָּ֖ם H3220 Article | Noun - masculine singular disappear יֵאָסֵֽפוּ׃ H622 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural

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