Chapter 4

1 God’s judgments against the sins of the people, 6 and of the priests, 12 and against their idolatry. 15 Judah is exhorted to take warning by Israel’s calamity.

1. Hear the word. This chapter begins a new division of Hosea’s prophecies. The prophet discontinues his use of figure and symbol, and now employs plain, literal prose. It seems evident from their contents that the messages of chs. 4–14 came much later than the time of Jeroboam II (see ch. 1:1).

The Lord hath a controversy. God’s people are called upon to give heed to the charge preferred against them, and to the sentence pronounced. As Heaven’s spokesman Hosea presents the case against Israel, vindicating the divine justice in dealing with her.

As here used, “controversy” is equivalent to the first meaning of the metaphorical name Jezreel (see on ch. 1:3). The ideas of “scatter” and “controversy” stand parallel to each other.

No truth. The prophet begins by declaring that his people lack the essentials of true religion. Without these essentials, the worship of God is nothing but empty pretense.

Mercy. Heb. chesed, for a definition of which see Additional Note Psalm 36.

2. By swearing. Turning from Israel’s spiritual deficiencies, Hosea now presents her sins of commission, a veritable flood of evils. The absence of truth, mercy, and knowledge (v. 1) produces all these terrible crimes in the land.

3. Therefore. The sufferings listed (vs. 3–5) are stated to be a result of the sins of Israel, particularly of those mentioned in v. 12.

Shall the land mourn. Compare Isa. 33:9.

Beasts. On account of his sin man has brought suffering upon the animal world. Compare Rom. 8:19–23.

4. Strive. All the people were evil, hence none should reprove others for their wrongdoing. The passage may also mean that so stubbornly set in sin are the offenders that it is useless to reason with them.

Strive with the priest. One of the functions of the priest was to teach the truths of God to the people (Mal. 2:7; see on 2 Chron. 15:3). Those who refuse to obey and reverence the true priests of God deserve Hosea’s severe condemnation (see also Deut. 17:8–13).

5. Shall fall. Heb. kashal, “to stumble,” “to stagger,” or “to totter.” So relentless would be the coming calamities that at no time, day or night, would any escape, whether they be people or priests.

Destroy thy mother. That is, the nation of Israel itself (see ch. 2:2–5). The LXX reads, “I have compared thy mother unto night,” conveying the thought that Israel would go into the dark night of sorrow, distress, and the silence of destruction at the time of her captivity.

6. For lack of knowledge. Literally, “for lack of the knowledge.” The particular knowledge that is missing is the knowledge of God, the most essential of all knowledge. Isaiah ascribed the Captivity to such a lack (see on Isa. 5:13). Though God may overlook certain forms of ignorance (see Acts 17:30), He cannot deliberate ignorance of spiritual things (see on Ex. 4:21). The people would inevitably be “destroyed” because of their lack of the essential knowledge. They might have had the knowledge had they put forth the effort to obtain it. Men are held responsible not only for what they know (John 9:41; 15:22, 24; James 4:17), but also for what they might have known had they put forth the effort to obtain essential knowledge (cf. 2 Peter 3:5). There are many who fear that a further investigation of truth will reveal that a change in conduct may be required of them, a change that their sin-loving hearts are unwilling to undertake, and so they deliberately desist from further inquiry. Such willful ignorance God cannot excuse.

Rejected knowledge. Literally, “rejected the knowledge.” The priest, or perhaps rather the priestly order, is addressed (see vs. 8, 9).

No priest. This indicates that possibly the principal cause of this ignorance on the part of the people lay at the door of the unfaithful priests, who rejected the knowledge of the true God and His law, which they should have taught the people (see Deut. 33:10; Mal. 2:1–9; see on 2 Chron. 15:3).

To me. That is, to God. The priests whom Jeroboam I appointed when he separated the kingdom of Israel from Judah (see 1 Kings 12:25–33) were not priests of the Lord but priests of the golden calves.

Law. Heb. torah (see on Deut. 31:9; Prov. 3:1).

7. As they were increased. The nation was increased in population and in economic wealth, owing to the prosperity of Jeroboam II’s reign (see on ch. 2:8). However, the primary reference may still be to the priests (see on v. 6), who increased in wealth and power.

Shame. Heb. qalon, “ignominy,” or “dishonor.”

8. Sin. Heb. chattaХth, “sin,” or “sin offering.” This passage probably describes the greedy priests who encouraged sin by urging the people to bring more and more sacrifices, since they ate the meat of these sacrifices (Lev. 6:26), and no doubt built up a traffic in such meat (see on 1 Sam. 2:12). The more sins, the more sacrifices, and so the greater profit and pleasure.

9. Like people, like priest. The people and their priests were bound together in sin. The apostate priests engaged in the very iniquities they should have reproved. In turn, the people, taking note of the worldliness and self-indulgence of the priests, hid behind their example. As someone has said, “Neither secular greatness should exempt the laity, nor the dignity of his order, the priest.” Both alike will be held responsible before the judgment bar of God.

Reward. Literally, “cause to return”; hence, here “repay,” or “recompense.”

Doings. The daring, presumptuous actions of Israel against the law and will of God are here implied.

10. Not have enough. This would be their punishment for eating “up the sin of my people” (v. 8).

Shall not increase. The reference here is probably to religious prostitution connected with fertility cults, around which much of ancient Canaanite worship centered (see Vol. II, pp. 38–41). Despite the worship of the goddess of fertility, the population would not increase, for the blessing of Heaven had been removed from Israel.

11. Whoredom and wine. These vices are pertinently put together to show their force in depriving man of his true and proper affections, his reason, and his understanding (see on Gen. 9:21).

Take away the heart. The “heart” is used here to represent the mind, the understanding, the affections. As a man thinks “in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7). If a person’s mind, understanding, and affections are vitiated and corrupted by lustful excesses, he sacrifices his possibilities for service for God (see Prov. 4:23). One of the lamentable accompaniments of Israel’s worship of strange gods was the indulgence in the licentious rites and the debasing moral conduct that accompanied idol worship.

12. Stocks. That is, wooden images.

Staff. Probably a rod employed for divination purposes.

Spirit of whoredoms. This irrepressible, bewitching desire to worship idols, Hosea likens to spiritual adultery, which tragically drew Israel away from the Lord. The “spirit of whoredoms” may also describe the vehemence that possessed men and caught them up in the whirl and excitement of evil passions.

From under their God. A wife was spoken of as being under her husband; that is, under his authority (see on Num. 5:19). This relationship ceased when she gave herself to another, as was true of Israel when she withdrew from the Lord and joined herself to her idols.

13. Tops of the mountains. Here we have a further enlargement on the subject of idolatry, particularly as it was seen in public life. The heathen commonly selected the mountains and hills as their places of worship because of the elevation of these heights (see on Eze. 6:13).

Shadow thereof. The green trees mentioned afforded a welcome shade from the intense heat of the Eastern sun, and also provided some secrecy for the practice of licentious rites. In such places sacrificial victims were slain and incense burned as an honor to the gods (see on Jer. 7:31).

Spouses. Rather, “brides,” or “daughters-in-law.” The evil example of the parents influenced the children to go in the same direction, and with the same results (Lam. 5:7; see on Hosea 2:4).

14. I will not punish. These “daughters” and “spouses” were less guilty than the lascivious fathers and husbands who had led them astray.

Harlots. That is, “temple prostitutes.” These were women who devoted themselves to licentiousness in the service of the gods. Since ancient times such persons have been connected with idolatrous worship in many heathen lands (see on Deut. 23:17).

Doth not understand. See on v. 6.

15. Let not Judah offend. Hosea, as if despairing of any change in Israel’s ungodly attitude, appeals warningly to the southern kingdom of Judah (vs. 15–17). Israel was so close to Judah geographically, and some of Judah’s later kings were so influenced by idolatry, that there was grave danger that the south would follow the north in apostasy. See p. 31; see on chs. 11:12; 12:1, 2.

Come not ye. Here we have a specific charge forbidding pilgrimages to idol-worship centers, such as Gilgal and Beth-aven.

Gilgal. There was more than one town in the territory of the northern kingdom that bore this name (see on 1 Sam. 11:15; 2 Kings 2:1). The name Gilgal appears prominently in the history of Israel (see Joshua 4:19, 20; 5:9, 10; 9:6; 10:6–9, 43; 14:6; 1 Sam. 10:8; 11:14, 15; 13:4–8; 15:21, 33; 2 Kings 4:38). It is uncertain which Gilgal the prophet refers to here.

Beth-aven. Literally, “the house of evil power,” or “the house of wickedness.” This is probably an ironic epithet for Bethel, which means literally, “the house of God” (see Gen. 28:19–22). However, when Jeroboam I set up calf worship at Bethel (see 1 Kings 12:25–33) and made of the city a house of false gods, the name Bethel became singularly inappropriate. Bethel was a prominent place in the religious history of God’s people (see Gen. 28:19; 35:15).

Nor swear. The hypocritical profession of the worship of the Lord must not be made by those in idolatry (see 1 Kings 12:28).

16. Backsliding. Literally, “stubborn,” or “rebellious.” The people of the northern kingdom were determined to have their own way, and so were like an unmanageable heifer that resists being trained and cannot be used to plow.

Feed them as a lamb. Some have suggested that this means God will deservedly and justly leave Israel to itself, as a lamb is left in a field to roam at will without provision and without protection. Instead of the controls and yoke (see on Matt. 11:29, 30) of God’s commandments, she would have the license of a desert, where there would be no protecting hedges. In this condition, without the shepherd’s watchful care, a lamb would easily fall prey to ravenous beasts, and so perish. Few creatures are more helpless than a lamb that has strayed from its shepherd (see Luke 15:3–7). So will it be with Israel.

Others have suggested that this clause should be considered a question rather than a statement; thus it would read, “Will the Lord now feed them as a lamb in a large place?”

17. Ephraim. Ephraim was the principal tribe of the northern kingdom, and the name was frequently applied to the entire kingdom (see on Jer. 7:15). Similarly the name Judah was applied to the southern kingdom.

Let him alone. Iniquitous folly welded Ephraim to idolatry, and so left him to an inescapable fate. The ten tribes had gone so far in idolatry that to them was made no promise of complete restoration (see PK 298). Evidently only a few scattered members of the ten tribes in exile later joined Judah to return to Palestine after the Captivity.

God does not coerce the will. He pleads with men to accept the way of life (Eze. 33:11), but leaves it with them as to “whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear” (Eze. 2:5). Those who persistently refuse to accept the offers of mercy are left to reap the fruits of their own choosing (Gen. 6:3; Ps. 81:10–16; Prov. 1:25–33; Rev. 22:11).

18. Her rulers. Literally, “her shields,” meaning the princes as the protectors of the nation (see on Ps. 47:9).

19. The wind hath bound. Perhaps a figure referring to the storm of divine judgment which will be loosed on Ephraim, sweeping him into captivity. This figure is in striking contrast to that of the “eagles’ wings” that bore the Hebrews out of Egypt toward the Promised Land (Ex. 19:4; Deut. 32:9–12). With patience and long-suffering God bears with sinners, calling them to repentance. Even the predicted captivity of the ten tribes came in gradual stages (see on Hosea 7:9).

Ellen G. White comments

1    PK 281

1, 2 GC 60; PK 297

6     COL 306; CT 467; GC 60; PK 297

6–9, 16PK 281

17   COL 237; PK 285; PP 165, 405; 1T 187, 383, 486; 3T 544; 5T 190