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

1Hear 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!

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

3Therefore 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

Original words

Hearשִׁמְע֥וּH8085Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralthe wordדְבַר־H1697Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularO childrenבְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularforכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionthe LORDלַֽיהוָה֙H3068Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularhas a caseרִ֤יבH7379Noun - masculine singularagainstעִם־H5973Prepositionthe peopleיוֹשְׁבֵ֣יH3427Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructof the landהָאָ֔רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singular. . .כִּ֠יH3588ConjunctionThere is noאֵין־H369Adverbtruthאֱמֶ֧תH571Noun - feminine singularnoוְֽאֵין־H369Conjunctive waw | Adverbloving devotionחֶ֛סֶדH2617Noun - masculine singularand noוְאֵֽין־H369Conjunctive waw | Adverbknowledgeדַּ֥עַתH1847Noun - feminine singular constructof Godאֱלֹהִ֖יםH430Noun - masculine pluralin the landבָּאָֽרֶץ׃H776Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 2

Original words

Cursingאָלֹ֣הH422Verb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteand lyingוְכַחֵ֔שׁH3584Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolutemurderוְרָצֹ֥חַH7523Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteand stealingוְגָנֹ֖בH1589Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteand adulteryוְנָאֹ֑ףH5003Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteare rampantפָּרָ֕צוּH6555Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralone act of bloodshedוְדָמִ֥יםH1818Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural. . .בְּדָמִ֖יםH1818Preposition-b | Noun - masculine pluralfollows anotherנָגָֽעוּ׃H5060Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 3

Original words

Thereforeעַל־H5921Preposition. . .כֵּ֣ן׀H3651Adverbthe landהָאָ֗רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularmournsתֶּאֱבַ֣לH56Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularand allכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructwho dwellיוֹשֵׁ֣בH3427Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularin itבָּ֔הּPreposition | third person feminine singularwill waste awayוְאֻמְלַל֙H535Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularwith the beastsבְּחַיַּ֥תH2416Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof the fieldהַשָּׂדֶ֖הH7704Article | Noun - masculine singularand the birdsוּבְע֣וֹףH5775Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof the airהַשָּׁמָ֑יִםH8064Article | Noun - masculine pluralevenוְגַם־H1571Conjunctionthe fishדְּגֵ֥יH1709Noun - masculine plural constructof the seaהַיָּ֖םH3220Article | Noun - masculine singulardisappearיֵאָסֵֽפוּ׃H622Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.