Hosea 4:1-19

The Biblical Illustrator - Hosea 4:7

Hosea 4:7As they were increased, so they sinned against me.Secular prosperityThe “increase” is in the number of the population; but it may refer to increase of wealth.I. Secular prosperity attained by the wicked.1. That is a common fact. Wicked men in all ages have, as a rule, been more prosperous than their contemporaries. Two things account for this fact--(1) Their secular earnestness. Material good is the one thing With them.(2) Their moral unscrupulousness. They have no high sense of... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Hosea 4:8

Hosea 4:8They eat up the sin of My people.Feeding on sinDr. Henderson renders these words, “They devour the sin-offering of My people.” The priests lived upon the sacrificial meat (Leviticus 6:26), and the more they had of this the more they were pleased. But this increased with the increase of the sins of the people. The more the people sinned, the more sin-offerings, and the more sin-offerings, the more priestly banquets. So in truth, without a figure, they “feed upon the sin of the people.”... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Hosea 4:9

Hosea 4:9And there shall be, like people, like priest.Hosea’s proverb“Like princes, like people”; but also, alas! “like people, like priests,”--a proverb which has acquired currency from its fatal truth, but which Hosea originated. The causes for the widespread immorality were twofold, as Hosea, resident perhaps in Samaria, saw more clearly, and pointed out more definitely than Amos. They were--1. The detestable vileness and hypocrisy of the priests, with whom, as usual, the false prophets were... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Hosea 4:12

Hosea 4:12Their staff declareth unto them.Rhabdomania, or divining by the stick or staffThere was a kind of idolatry which the Jews had, a way to ask counsel by the staff, and with this the prophet here charges them. The Romans practised the same, calling it divination by rods, sticks, arrows, or staves. There were four ways in which they divined with these things. The first was to put arrows or staves into a closed case, having the names written on them of what they divined about; and then,... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Hosea 4:13

Hosea 4:13They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills. Blustering sinnersThat is the bold aspect, that is the public phase; instead of doing all these things, as Ezekiel would say, in a chamber of imagery far down, at which you get through a hole in the wall, they go up to high places, and invite the sun to look upon them; they kiss the calf in public. Some credit should be due to audacity, but there is another sin which cannot be done on the tops of the... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Hosea 4:16

Hosea 4:16Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer.The evil and danger of backslidingI. When we may be said to resemble a backsliding heifer.1. When we will not draw in God’s yoke at all.2. When we draw in it only by fits and starts.3. When we grow weary of the yoke. Weary of performing our duties, exercising our graces, mortifying our lusts.II. The evil and danger of such a state.1. The evil of it. It is a contemning of God. It is a justifying of the wicked. It is a discouraging of the... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Hosea 4:17

Hosea 4:17Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.Beware of unholy companionshipsThese words do not mean that nothing was to be done for Ephraim. The prophets again and again pleaded with that people. “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in Me is thy help.” Our text is addressed to Judah. “Let Ephraim alone.” The best thing to do is not to associate with that people, keep clear of them, let them alone.I. This applies to companionship. If you want to keep your own life pure, be careful... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Hosea 4:19

Hosea 4:19The wind hath bound her up in her wings.Retributive justiceThe simple meaning is that Israel shall be borne away from her land, suddenly and violently, as by the winds of heaven. There is retributive justice in the universe.I. Its emblem. The wind. It is like wind--1. In its agitation. Wind is a disturbance or agitation of the atmosphere, The average condition of the air is silence and serenity. The normal condition of Divine government is quiet. It has no tempest where there is no... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Hosea 4:1

Hos 4:1 Hear 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. Ver. 1. Hear the word of the Lord ] This is the beginning of a new sermon, or judicial act of God against the ten tribes, which are here convented, convinced, sentenced. It begins with an Oyez, like that of St Paul, Acts 13:16 , "Men of Israel, and ye that fear God" (if any such be in so general a... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Hosea 4:2

Hos 4:2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Ver. 2. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing ] Heb. to swear, and lie, and kill, and steal, and commit adultery. To do all this is held, licitum et solenne, lawful, or at least pardonable. It is grown to a common practice; and custom of sinning hath taken away sense of sin. By swearing ] Heb. by cursing, or swearing with an execration and cursing, which... read more

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