Hosea 4:18

Hosea 4:18 is obscure; here, as elsewhere in 15-19, the correctness of the Hebrew text is open to question. The uncertainty is increased by the conflicting testimony of the ancient versions. Assuming that the Hebrew text is correct, the following appears to be the most probable interpretation:

Their drink is sour Certainly an incorrect translation.

Drink appears to be used in the sense of drinking, carousing (1 Samuel 1:14; 1 Samuel 25:37). The verb means is finished, is passed (1 Samuel 15:32); therefore R.V. margin is nearer the truth, “Their carouse is over.” The first two clauses of Hosea 4:18 are thrown together without conjunction, due to the deep emotion of the prophet. The connection must be supplied and may be indicated thus: “When their carousing is over they play the harlot”; that is, when they grow weary of one form of sin they immediately plunge into another.

They have committed whoredom continually The verb form describes a common practice, and would better be reproduced in the English by the present tense; so R.V., “they play the harlot continually.”

But this does not reproduce fully the force of the original. The emphasis is not upon the continuation, but upon the eagerness with which the immoralities are practiced; a better rendering would be, “they indulge in whoredom.”

Her rulers with shame do love, Give ye R.V., “her rulers dearly love shame”; margin, “they are given up to love (impure love); her rulers are a shame,” while possible, is not so good. In the Hebrew three letters seem to be accidentally repeated; if they are omitted the text reads, “her rulers love shame”; a slight emendation would give the more emphatic reading of R.V.

Rulers Literally, shields (Psalms 47:9); the office of the rulers was to guard and shield the people. This they neglected to do; all they cared for were the shameful practices.

The section closes with an announcement of judgment, in Hosea 4:19.

The wind hath bound [“wrapped”] her up in her [“its”] wings The tense is the so-called prophetic perfect; the event is still future but imminent, and the prophet is sure of its occurrence. The figure expresses the suddenness and violence with which Israel will be swept away (Isaiah 59:19).

They shall be ashamed [“put to shame”] because of their sacrifices Sacrifices, with an unusual plural ending in Hebrew, would stand for the religious cult in general; its corruption (11ff.) is the cause of the nation’s overthrow. Neither the margin, “their altars shall be put to shame” nor LXX., “they shall be put to shame because of their altars,” is as good. Hosea 4:18-19 contain several linguistic peculiarities; the freedom in the use of the pronouns is unusual, and it is quite possible that the text of 11-19 has not been handed down in its original purity.