Berean Standard Bible

Hosea 4

1Hearשִׁמְע֥וּshim.'UH8085the wordדְבַר־de.var-H1697of the LORDיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068,O childrenבְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiH1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElH3478,forכִּ֣יkiH3588the LORDלַֽיהוָה֙la.Yah.wehH3068has a caseרִ֤יבrivH7379againstעִם־'im-H5973the peopleיוֹשְׁבֵ֣יyo.she.VeiH3427of the landהָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֠יha.'A.retz kiH776 H3588: “There is noאֵין־'ein-H369truthאֱמֶ֧ת'e.MetH571,noוְֽאֵין־ve.'ein-H369loving devotionחֶ֛סֶדChe.sedH2617,and noוְאֵֽין־ve.'ein-H369knowledgeדַּ֥עַתDa.'atH1847of Godאֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.HimH430in the landבָּאָֽרֶץ׃ba.'A.retzH776!

2Cursingאָלֹ֣ה'a.LohH422and lyingוְכַחֵ֔שׁve.kha.CheshH3584,murderוְרָצֹ֥חַve.ra.Tzo.achH7523and stealingוְגָנֹ֖בve.ga.NoH1589,and adulteryוְנָאֹ֑ףve.na.'OfH5003are rampantפָּרָ֕צוּpa.Ra.tzuH6555;one act of bloodshedH1818follows anotherנָגָֽעוּ׃na.Ga.'uH5060.

3Thereforeעַל־ כֵּ֣ן׀'al- kenH5921 H3651the landהָאָ֗רֶץha.'A.retzH776mournsתֶּאֱבַ֣לte.'e.ValH56,and allכָּל־kol-H3605who dwellיוֹשֵׁ֣בyo.ShevH3427in itwill waste awayוְאֻמְלַל֙ve.'um.LalH535with the beastsבְּחַיַּ֥תbe.chai.YatH2416of the fieldהַשָּׂדֶ֖הha.sa.DehH7704and the birdsוּבְע֣וֹףu.ve.'ofH5775of the airהַשָּׁמָ֑יִםha.sha.Ma.yimH8064;evenוְגַם־ve.gam-H1571the fishדְּגֵ֥יde.GeiH1709of the seaהַיָּ֖םhai.YamH3220disappearיֵאָסֵֽפוּ׃ye.'a.Se.fuH622.

4Butאַ֥ךְ'akhH389let noאַל־'al-H408manאִ֛ישׁ'ishH376contendיָרֵ֖בya.RevH7378;let noוְאַל־ve.'al-H408manאִ֑ישׁ'IshH376offer reproofיוֹכַ֣חyo.KhachH3198;for your people are like thoseוְעַמְּךָ֖ve.'a.me.KhaH5971who contend withכִּמְרִיבֵ֥יkim.ri.VeiH7378a priestכֹהֵֽן׃kho.HenH3548.

5You will stumbleוְכָשַׁלְתָּ֣ve.kha.shal.TaH3782by dayהַיּ֔וֹםhai.YomH3117,and the prophetגַּם־ נָבִ֛יאgam- na.Vi'H5030 H1571will stumbleוְכָשַׁ֧לve.kha.ShalH3782with youעִמְּךָ֖'i.me.KhaH5973by nightלָ֑יְלָהLa.ye.lahH3915;so I will destroyוְדָמִ֖יתִיve.da.Mi.tiH1820your motherאִמֶּֽךָ׃'i.Me.khaH517—

6My peopleעַמִּ֖י'a.MiH5971are destroyedנִדְמ֥וּnid.MuH1820for lackמִבְּלִ֣יmi.be.LiH1097of knowledgeהַדָּ֑עַתha.Da.'atH1847.Becauseכִּֽי־ki-H3588youאַתָּ֞ה'a.TahH859have rejectedמָאַ֗סְתָּma.'As.taH3988knowledgeהַדַּ֣עַתha.Da.'atH1847,I will also reject youוְאֶמְאָֽסְאךָ֙ve.'em.'a.se.KhaH3988as My priestsמִכַּהֵ֣ןmi.ka.HenH3547.Since you have forgottenוַתִּשְׁכַּח֙va.tish.KachH7911the lawתּוֹרַ֣תto.RatH8451of your Godאֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaH430,Iאָֽנִי׃'A.niH589will alsoגַּם־gam-H1571forgetאֶשְׁכַּ֥ח'esh.KachH7911your childrenבָּנֶ֖יךָba.Nei.khaH1121.

7The more they multipliedכְּרֻבָּ֖ם כֵּ֣ןke.ru.Bam kenH7235 H3651,the more they sinnedחָֽטְאוּ־cha.te.'u-H2398against Me;they exchangedאָמִֽיר׃'a.MirH4171their Gloryכְּבוֹדָ֖םke.vo.DamH3519for a thing of disgraceבְּקָל֥וֹןbe.ka.LonH7036.

8They feed onיֹאכֵ֑לוּyo.Khe.luH398the sinsחַטַּ֥אתcha.TatH2403of My peopleעַמִּ֖י'a.MiH5971and setיִשְׂא֥וּyis.'UH5375their heartsנַפְשֽׁוֹ׃naf.ShoH5315onוְאֶל־ve.'el-H413iniquityעֲוֹנָ֖ם'a.vo.NamH5771.

9And it shall beוְהָיָ֥הve.ha.YahH1961like peopleכָעָ֖םkha.'AmH5971,like priestכַּכֹּהֵ֑ןka.ko.HenH3548.I will punishוּפָקַדְתִּ֤יu.fa.kad.TiH6485both of themעָלָיו֙'a.LavH5921for their waysדְּרָכָ֔יוde.ra.KhavH1870and repayאָשִׁ֥יב'a.ShivH7725themfor their deedsוּמַעֲלָלָ֖יוu.ma.'a.la.LavH4611.

10They will eatוְאָֽכְלוּ֙ve.'a.khe.LuH398but notוְלֹ֣אve.Lo'H3808be satisfiedיִשְׂבָּ֔עוּyis.Ba.'uH7646;they will be promiscuousהִזְנ֖וּhiz.NuH2181but notוְלֹ֣אve.Lo'H3808multiplyיִפְרֹ֑צוּyif.Ro.tzuH6555.Forכִּֽי־ki-H3588אֶת־'et-H853they have abandonedעָזְב֖וּ'a.ze.VuH5800the LORDיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068to give themselvesלִשְׁמֹֽר׃lish.MorH8104

11to promiscuityזְנ֛וּתze.NutH2184,wineוְיַ֥יִןve.Ya.yinH3196,and new wineוְתִיר֖וֹשׁve.ti.Ro.oshH8492,which take awayיִֽקַּֽח־yi.kach-H3947understandingלֵֽב׃LevH3820.

12My peopleעַמִּי֙'a.MiH5971consultיִשְׁאָ֔לyish.'AlH7592their wooden idolsבְּעֵצ֣וֹbe.'e.TzoH6086,and their divining rodsוּמַקְל֖וֹu.mak.LoH4731informיַגִּ֣ידya.GidH5046them.Forכִּ֣יkiH3588a spiritר֤וּחַRu.achH7307of prostitutionזְנוּנִים֙ze.nu.NimH2183leads them astrayהִתְעָ֔הhit.'AhH8582and they have played the harlotוַיִּזְנ֖וּvai.yiz.NuH2181againstמִתַּ֥חַתmi.Ta.chatH8478their Godאֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃'e.lo.hei.HemH430.

13They sacrificeיְזַבֵּ֗חוּye.za.Be.chuH2076onעַל־'al-H5921the mountaintopsרָאשֵׁ֨י הֶהָרִ֜יםra.Shei he.ha.RimH7218 H2022and burn offeringsיְקַטֵּ֔רוּye.ka.Te.ruH6999onוְעַל־ve.'al-H5921the hillsהַגְּבָעוֹת֙ha.ge.va.'OtH1389,underתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478oakאַלּ֧וֹן'a.LonH437,poplarוְלִבְנֶ֛הve.liv.NehH3839,and terebinthוְאֵלָ֖הve.'e.LahH424,becauseכִּ֣יkiH3588their shadeצִלָּ֑הּtzi.LahH6738is pleasantט֣וֹבTovH2896.And soעַל־ כֵּ֗ן'al- KenH5921 H3651your daughtersבְּנ֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔םbe.No.tei.KhemH1323turn to prostitutionתִּזְנֶ֙ינָה֙tiz.Nei.nahH2181and your daughters-in-lawוְכַלּוֹתֵיכֶ֖םve.kha.lo.tei.KhemH3618to adulteryתְּנָאַֽפְנָה׃te.na.'Af.nahH5003.

14I will notלֹֽא־lo'-H3808punishאֶפְק֨וֹד עַל־'ef.Kod 'al-H6485 H5921your daughtersבְּנוֹתֵיכֶ֜םbe.no.tei.KhemH1323whenכִּ֣יkiH3588they prostitute themselvesתִזְנֶ֗ינָהtiz.Nei.nahH2181,norוְעַל־ve.'al-H5921your daughters-in-lawכַּלּֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ka.lo.tei.KhemH3618whenכִּ֣יkiH3588they commit adulteryתְנָאַ֔פְנָהte.na.'Af.nahH5003.Forכִּי־ki-H3588the men themselvesהֵם֙hemH1992go offיְפָרֵ֔דוּye.fa.Re.duH6504withעִם־'im-H5973prostitutesהַזֹּנ֣וֹתha.zo.NotH2181and offer sacrificesיְזַבֵּ֑חוּye.za.Be.chuH2076withוְעִם־ve.'im-H5973shrine prostitutesהַקְּדֵשׁ֖וֹתha.ke.de.ShotH6948.So a peopleוְעָ֥םve.'AmH5971withoutלֹֽא־lo'-H3808understandingיָבִ֖יןya.VinH995will come to ruinיִלָּבֵֽט׃yi.la.VetH3832.

15Thoughאִם־'im-H518youאַתָּה֙'a.TahH859prostitute yourselfזֹנֶ֤הzo.NehH2181,O Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElH3478,may Judahיְהוּדָ֑הye.hu.DahH3063avoidאַל־'al-H408such guiltיֶאְשַׁ֖םye'.ShamH816!Do notוְאַל־ve.'al-H408journeyתָּבֹ֣אוּta.Vo.'uH935to Gilgalהַגִּלְגָּ֗לha.gil.GalH1537,do not go upתַּעֲלוּ֙ta.'a.LuH5927to Beth-avenוְאַֽל־ve.'al-H1007 H408,and do notוְאַל־ve.'al-H408swear on oathתִּשָּׁבְע֖וּti.sha.ve.'UH7650, ‘As surely as the LORDיְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehH3068livesחַי־chai-H2416!’

16Forכִּ֚יkiH3588Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElH3478is as obstinateסֹֽרֵרָ֔הso.re.RahH5637as a stubbornסָרַ֖רsa.RarH5637heiferכְּפָרָ֣הke.fa.RahH6510.Can the LORDיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068nowעַתָּה֙'a.TahH6258shepherd themיִרְעֵ֣םyir.'EmH7462like lambsכְּכֶ֖בֶשׂke.Khe.vesH3532in an open meadowבַּמֶּרְחָֽב׃ba.mer.ChavH4800?

17Ephraimאֶפְרָ֖יִם'ef.Ra.yimH669is joinedחֲב֧וּרcha.VurH2266to idolsעֲצַבִּ֛ים'a.tza.BimH6091;leave him aloneהַֽנַּֽח־ha.nach-H5117!

18When their liquorסָבְאָ֑םsa.ve.'AmH5435is goneסָ֖רsarH5493,they turn to prostitutionH2181;their rulersאָהֲב֥וּ מָגִנֶּֽיהָ׃'a.ha.Vu ma.gi.Nei.haH4043 H157dearly loveהֵב֛וּhe.VuH157disgraceקָל֖וֹןka.LonH7036.

19The whirlwindר֛וּחַRu.achH7307has wrappedצָרַ֥רtza.RarH6887themאוֹתָ֖הּ'o.TahH853in its wingsבִּכְנָפֶ֑יהָbikh.na.Fei.haH3671,and their sacrificesמִזִּבְחוֹתָֽם סmi.ziv.cho.TamH2077will bring them shameוְיֵבֹ֖שׁוּve.ye.Vo.shuH954.

Commentaries on Hosea 4