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Hos. 4:1–14:9 Accusations, Warnings, and Promises for Israel. In the rest of the book, Hosea details the aspects of Israel’s life that show her unfaithfulness to the Lord, urges her to repent, and reveals God’s commitment to his people, despite their unfaithfulness.
Hos. 4:1–19 The Lord continues to prosecute his case against unfaithful Israel.
Hos. 4:1–2 The Lord’s charges against Israel are presented in the vocabulary of a lawsuit (a controversy), a setting used by other eighth-century biblical prophets (compare Isa. 3:13–15; Mic. 6:2). The charges are offenses against God’s law, particularly violations of the Ten Commandments. Faithfulness and steadfast love are attributes of God in Ex. 34:6. Genuine knowledge of God in the hearts of his people will produce a character like his.
Hos. 4:5 Your mother is a reference to Israel (2:4–5). Hosea’s symbols of Israel include a mother, children, and a bride.
Hos. 4:6 The people are the focal point in this chapter (see vv. 1, 12, 15). God refers to them as “my people” throughout (vv. 8, 12). The priests were responsible for teaching the people God’s laws (see Lev. 10:11; Mal. 2:6–7), but they had failed miserably. As a result, the people lacked knowledge of God’s laws and his ways.
Hos. 4:10–11 they shall play the whore. By worshiping Baal.
Hos. 4:12–13 These verses describe breaking God’s laws by following Canaanite religious practices. inquire of a piece of wood. They would ask for guidance from an idol carved out of wood. led them astray. Like sheep following a wicked shepherd. Therefore your daughters play the whore. There is a connection between following a false religion (which is spiritual adultery, vv. 12–13a) and the immoral conduct (physical adultery) of the next generation (“Therefore,” v. 13b; compare v. 6). The parents turned away from God, and as a consequence he allowed their daughters and other young women (your brides) to stray into sexual immorality.
Hos. 4:14 I will not punish your daughters. Perhaps spoken in sarcasm, as if to say, how can anyone blame them when the whole people is unfaithful? sacrifice with cult prostitutes. An unfaithful spouse is grouped alongside those who participate in sexual activity at pagan places of worship.
Hos. 4:15 Judah is warned not to follow Israel’s example, though eventually Judah did. Several shrines that might entice Judah are named.
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