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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)The people have appointed kings without my consent, and princes without my approval. By making idols for themselves from their silver and gold, they have brought about their own destruction.

Context of Hosea 8:4

2Israel cries out to me, ‘Our God, we acknowledge you!’ 3But Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue him. 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. 5Samaria, throw out your calf-idol! My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of purity? 6They are from Israel! This calf—a metalworker has made it; it is not God. It will be broken in pieces, that calf of Samaria.

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 refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse’s son? To your tents, Israel! Look after your own house, David!” So the Israelites went home.
• 2 Kings 15:10Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah. He attacked him in front of the people, assassinated him and succeeded him as king.
• Matthew 25:12“But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
• Luke 13:25Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
• John 10:14“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
• Galatians 4:9But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
• Hosea 2:8She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold— which they used for Baal.
• Hosea 13:2Now they sin more and more; they make idols for themselves from their silver, cleverly fashioned images, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of these people, “They offer human sacrifices! They kiss calf-idols!”
• 1 Kings 12:28After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
• 1 Kings 16:31He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him.
• Hosea 13:9“You are destroyed, Israel, because you are against me, against your helper.
• 1 Kings 13:34This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth.
• Jeremiah 44:7“Now this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Why bring such great disaster on yourselves by cutting off from Judah the men and women, the children and infants, and so leave yourselves without a remnant?
• Ezekiel 18:31Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people 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