Hosea 8:4

Hosea 8:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
• New International Version (NIV)They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“They set up kings, but not by Me; They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them. From their silver and gold They made idols for themselves— That they might be cut off.

Context of Hosea 8:4

2Israel cries out to me, “My God, we know you!” 3Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue him. They have installed kings, but not through me. They have appointed leaders, but without my approval. They make their silver and gold into idols for themselves for their own destruction. 5Your calf-idol is rejected, Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence? 6For this thing is from Israel — a craftsman made it, and it is not God. The calf of Samaria will be smashed to bits!

Hosea 8:4 word by word

הֵ֤ם הִמְלִיכוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א מִמֶּ֔נִּי הֵשִׂ֖ירוּ וְלֹ֣א יָדָ֑עְתִּי כַּסְפָּ֣ם וּזְהָבָ֗ם עָשׂ֤וּ לָהֶם֙ עֲצַבִּ֔ים לְמַ֖עַן יִכָּרֵֽת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• They have set up kingsמָלַךְmâlak · to reignH4427
• but not by me: they have made princesשׂוּרώûr · to reignH7786
• and I knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• not: of their silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• and their goldזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
• have they madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• them idolsעָצָב‛âtsâb · idolH6091
• that they may be cut offכָּרַתkârath · to cut: eliminateH3772

Cross-references for Hosea 8:4

• 1 Kings 12:16When all Israel saw that the king had not listened to them, the people answered him: What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Israel, return to your tents; David, now look after your own house! So Israel went to their tents,
• 2 Kings 15:10Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah. He struck him down publicly, killed him, and became king in his place.
• Matthew 25:12“He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!’
• Luke 13:25once the homeowner gets up and shuts the door. Then you will stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up for us! ’ He will answer you, ‘I don’t know you or where you’re from.’
• John 10:14“I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me,
• Galatians 4:9But now, since you know God, or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elements? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?
• Hosea 2:8She does not recognize that it is I who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the fresh oil. I lavished silver and gold on her, which they used for Baal.
• Hosea 13:2Now they continue to sin and make themselves a cast image, idols skillfully made from their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. People say about them, “Let the men who sacrifice kiss the calves.”
• 1 Kings 12:28So the king sought advice. Then he made two golden calves, and he said to the people, “Going to Jerusalem is too difficult for you. Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”
• 1 Kings 16:31Then, as if following the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat were not enough, he married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and then proceeded to serve Baal and bow in worship to him.
• Hosea 13:9I will destroy you, Israel; you have no help but me.
• 1 Kings 13:34This was the sin that caused the house of Jeroboam to be cut off and obliterated from the face of the earth.
• Jeremiah 44:7“So now, this is what the Lord, the God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Why are you doing such terrible harm to yourselves? You are cutting off man and woman, infant and nursing baby from Judah, leaving yourselves without a remnant.
• Ezekiel 18:31Throw off all the transgressions you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, house of Israel?

Commentaries on Hosea 8:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4They have set up kings, but not by me - Properly speaking, not one of the kings of Israel, from the defection of the ten tribes from the house of David, was the anointed or the Lord. I knew it not - It had not my approbation. In this sense the word know is frequently understood. That they may be cut off - That is, They shall be cut off in consequence of their idolatry.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4They have set up kings, but not by ME - God Himself foretold to Jeroboam by Ahijah the prophet, that He would “rend the kingdom out of the hands of Solomon, and give ten tribes” to him, “and” would “take” him, “and” he “should reign according to all that” his soul desired and” should “be king over Israel” 1 Kings 11:31, 1 Kings 11:37; and, after the ten tribes had made Jeroboam king, God said by Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam and the two tribes, “Ye…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4They make princes, but without My approval: They quickly removed one king and chose another if they believed it would save their nation (see Hosea 7:7). They did all of this without consulting their true king, the Lord.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. kings ... not by me--not with My sanction (1Ki 11:31; 12:20). Israel set up Jeroboam and his successors, whereas God had appointed the house of David as the rightful kings of the whole nation. I knew it not--I approved it not (Psa 1:6). of ... gold ... idols--(Ho 2:8; 13:2). that they may be cut off--that is, though warned of the consequences of idolatry, as it were with open eyes they rushed on their own destruction. So Jr 27:10, 15; 44:8.Read the comment

Topics related to Hosea 8:4

• Government
• Idol
• King

In the dictionaries

• Hosea
• Pekahiah
• Zechariah, Book of

Commentaries on Hosea 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings