Focused Passage

Hosea 4:11-19

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

11 to promiscuity, wine, and new wine, which take away understanding.

12 My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God.

13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people without understanding will come to ruin.

15 Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’

16 For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow?

17 Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!

18 When their liquor is gone, they turn to prostitution; their rulers dearly love disgrace.

19 The whirlwind has wrapped them in its wings, and their sacrifices will bring them shame.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 11

Original words

to promiscuity זְנ֛וּת H2184 Noun - feminine singular wine וְיַ֥יִן H3196 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular and new wine וְתִיר֖וֹשׁ H8492 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular which take away יִֽקַּֽח־ H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular understanding לֵֽב׃ H3820 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

My people עַמִּי֙ H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular consult יִשְׁאָ֔ל H7592 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular their wooden idols בְּעֵצ֣וֹ H6086 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular and their divining rods וּמַקְל֖וֹ H4731 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular inform יַגִּ֣יד H5046 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular them ל֑וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular For כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction a spirit ר֤וּחַ H7307 Noun - common singular construct of prostitution זְנוּנִים֙ H2183 Noun - masculine plural leads them astray הִתְעָ֔ה H8582 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular and they have played the harlot וַיִּזְנ֖וּ H2181 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural against מִתַּ֥חַת H8478 Preposition-m their God אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 13

Original words

They sacrifice יְזַבֵּ֗חוּ H2076 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural on עַל־ H5921 Preposition the mountaintops רָאשֵׁ֨י H7218 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . הֶהָרִ֜ים H2022 Article | Noun - masculine plural and burn offerings יְקַטֵּ֔רוּ H6999 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural on וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the hills הַגְּבָעוֹת֙ H1389 Article | Noun - feminine plural under תַּ֣חַת H8478 Preposition oak אַלּ֧וֹן H437 Noun - masculine singular poplar וְלִבְנֶ֛ה H3839 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular and terebinth וְאֵלָ֖ה H424 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular because כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction their shade צִלָּ֑הּ H6738 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular is pleasant ט֣וֹב H2896 Adjective - masculine singular And so עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . כֵּ֗ן H3651 Adverb your daughters בְּנ֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔ם H1323 Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural turn to prostitution תִּזְנֶ֙ינָה֙ H2181 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural and your daughters-in-law וְכַלּוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם H3618 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural to adultery תְּנָאַֽפְנָה׃ H5003 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Verse 14

Original words

I will not לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle punish אֶפְק֨וֹד H6485 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular . . . עַל־ H5921 Preposition your daughters בְּנוֹתֵיכֶ֜ם H1323 Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural when כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction they prostitute themselves תִזְנֶ֗ינָה H2181 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural nor וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition your daughters-in-law כַּלּֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ H3618 Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural when כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction they commit adultery תְנָאַ֔פְנָה H5003 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine plural For כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction the men themselves הֵם֙ H1992 Pronoun - third person masculine plural go off יְפָרֵ֔דוּ H6504 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural with עִם־ H5973 Preposition prostitutes הַזֹּנ֣וֹת H2181 Article | Noun - feminine plural and offer sacrifices יְזַבֵּ֑חוּ H2076 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural with וְעִם־ H5973 Conjunctive waw | Preposition shrine prostitutes הַקְּדֵשׁ֖וֹת H6948 Article | Adjective - feminine plural So a people וְעָ֥ם H5971 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular without לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle understanding יָבִ֖ין H995 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular will come to ruin יִלָּבֵֽט׃ H3832 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 15

Original words

Though אִם־ H518 Conjunction you אַתָּה֙ H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular prostitute yourself זֹנֶ֤ה H2181 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular O Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular may Judah יְהוּדָ֑ה H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular avoid אַל־ H408 Adverb such guilt יֶאְשַׁ֖ם H816 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Do not וְאַל־ H408 Conjunctive waw | Adverb journey תָּבֹ֣אוּ H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural to Gilgal הַגִּלְגָּ֗ל H1537 Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular do not go up תַּעֲלוּ֙ H5927 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural vvv בֵּ֣ית H1007 Preposition to Beth-aven אָ֔וֶן H1007 Noun - proper - feminine singular . . . וְאַל־ H408 Conjunctive waw | Adverb and do not וְאַֽל־ H408 Conjunctive waw | Adverb swear on oath תִּשָּׁבְע֖וּ H7650 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural As surely as the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular lives חַי־ H2416 Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Beth-aven means house of wickedness. This is a derogatory term for Bethel, which means house of God; see 1 Kings 12:28–29.
Verse 16

Original words

For כִּ֚י H3588 Conjunction Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular is as obstinate סֹֽרֵרָ֔ה H5637 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular as a stubborn סָרַ֖ר H5637 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular heifer כְּפָרָ֣ה H6510 Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular Can the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular now עַתָּה֙ H6258 Adverb shepherd them יִרְעֵ֣ם H7462 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural like lambs כְּכֶ֖בֶשׂ H3532 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular in an open meadow בַּמֶּרְחָֽב׃ H4800 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 17

Original words

Ephraim אֶפְרָ֖יִם H669 Noun - proper - masculine singular is joined חֲב֧וּר H2266 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular construct to idols עֲצַבִּ֛ים H6091 Noun - masculine plural leave him alone הַֽנַּֽח־ H5117 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • That is, the northern kingdom of Israel
Verse 18

Original words

When their liquor סָבְאָ֑ם H5435 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural is gone סָ֖ר H5493 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular they turn to prostitution הַזְנֵ֣ה H2181 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute . . . הִזְנ֔וּ H2181 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural their rulers מָגִנֶּֽיהָ׃ H4043 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular . . . הֵב֛וּ H157 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural dearly love אָהֲב֥וּ H157 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural disgrace קָל֖וֹן H7036 Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Hebrew her shields
Verse 19

Original words

The whirlwind ר֛וּחַ H7307 Noun - common singular has wrapped צָרַ֥ר H6887 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular them אוֹתָ֖הּ H853 Direct object marker | third person feminine singular in its wings בִּכְנָפֶ֑יהָ H3671 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular and their sacrifices מִזִּבְחוֹתָֽםס H2077 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural will bring them shame וְיֵבֹ֖שׁוּ H954 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Hebrew has wrapped her

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.