Hosea 4
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
3Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
4Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
5Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.
6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
7As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.
8They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
9And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
10For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.
11Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
12My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
13They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.
14I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.
15Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.
16For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
17Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.
18Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.
19The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- כִּיkîyH358810× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- זָנָהzânâhH21818× in this chapter
to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively, to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah)
- עַלʻalH59217× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- אַלʼalH4086× in this chapter
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
- עַםʻamH59716× in this chapter
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
- יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâhH30685× in this chapter
Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
- לֹאlôʼH38084× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- עִםʻimH59734× in this chapter
adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)
- גַּםgamH15713× in this chapter
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
- דַּעַתdaʻathH18473× in this chapter
knowledge
- יִשְׂרָאֵלYisrâʼêlH34783× in this chapter
Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
- כֵּןkênH36513× in this chapter
properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles)
- אַיִןʼayinH3693× in this chapter
a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle
- אֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîymH4303× in this chapter
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
- נָאַףnâʼaphH50033× in this chapter
to commit adultery; figuratively, to apostatize
- אֶרֶץʼeretsH7763× in this chapter
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
- בֵּית אָוֶןBêyth ʼÂvenH10072× in this chapter
Beth-Aven, a place in Palestine
- בֵּןbênH11212× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- בַּתbathH13232× in this chapter
a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
- אָהַבʼâhabH1572× in this chapter
to have affection for (sexually or otherwise)
- דָּםdâmH18182× in this chapter
blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed (i.e. drops of blood)
- דָּמָהdâmâhH18202× in this chapter
to be dumb or silent; hence, to fail or perish; trans. to destroy
- זָבַחzâbachH20762× in this chapter
to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice)
- חַיchayH24162× in this chapter
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
- יָשַׁבyâshabH34272× in this chapter
properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
- כֹּהֵןkôhênH35482× in this chapter
literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)
- כַּלָּהkallâhH36182× in this chapter
a bride (as if perfect); hence, a son's wife
- אִישׁʼîyshH3762× in this chapter
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
- כָּשַׁלkâshalH37822× in this chapter
to totter or waver (through weakness of the legs, especially the ankle); by implication, to falter, stumble, faint or fall
- אָכַלʼâkalH3982× in this chapter
to eat (literally or figuratively)
- מָאַסmâʼaçH39882× in this chapter
to spurn; also (intransitively) to disappear
- סָרַרçârarH56372× in this chapter
to turn away, i.e. (morally) be refractory
- פָּקַדpâqadH64852× in this chapter
to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc.
- פָּרַץpâratsH65552× in this chapter
to break out (in many applications, direct and indirect, literal and figurative)
- קָלוֹןqâlôwnH70362× in this chapter
disgrace; (by implication) the pudenda
- רוּחַrûwachH73072× in this chapter
wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)
- רִיבrîybH73782× in this chapter
properly, to toss, i.e. grapple; mostly figuratively, to wrangle, i.e. hold a controversy; (by implication) to defend
- שָׁכַחshâkachH79112× in this chapter
to mislay, i.e. to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attention
- תַּחַתtachathH84782× in this chapter
the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.
- אֵתʼêthH8532× in this chapter
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)