Hosea 4 הוֹשֵׁעַ פרק ד׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with transliteration and English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Hosea 4 in the interlinear reader for roots and notes, or listen to it read aloud in Hebrew.

1. 1

   שִׁמְעוּshim/Uhearדְבַר־יְהֹוָהde/VAR-Adonaithe word of the LORDבְּנֵיbe/NEO children ofיִשְׂרָאֵלYis/ra/ELIsraelכִּיkiforרִיבriva controversyלַיהֹוָהla-Adonaithe LORD hasעִם־יוֹשְׁבֵיim-yosh/VEwith the inhabitants ofהָאָרֶץha/A/retsthe landכִּיkiforאֵין־אֱמֶתen-e/METthere is no truthוְאֵין־חֶסֶדve/EN-CHE/sednor mercyוְאֵין־דַּעַתve/EN-DA/atnor knowledge ofאֱלֹהִיםe/lo/HIMGodבָּאָרֶץ׃ba/A/retsin the land

   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.

2. 2

   אָלֹהa/LOswearingוְכַחֵשׁve/kha/CHESHand lyingוְרָצֹחַve/ra/TSO/achand killingוְגָנֹבve/ga/NOVand stealingוְנָאֹףve/na/OFand committing adulteryפָּרָצוּpa/RA/tsuthey break outוְדָמִיםve/da/MIMand bloodבְּדָמִיםbe/da/MIMupon bloodנָגָעוּ׃na/GA/uthey touch

   By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

3. 3

   עַל־כֵּןal-kenthereforeתֶּאֱבַלte/e/VALshall mournהָאָרֶץha/A/retsthe landוְאֻמְלַלve/um/LALand shall languishכׇּל־יוֹשֵׁבkol-yo/SHEVevery one that dwellsבָּהּbain itבְּחַיַּתbe/chay/YATwith the beasts ofהַשָּׂדֶהhas/sa/DEthe fieldוּבְעוֹףu/ve/OFand with the birds ofהַשָּׁמָיִםhash/sha/MA/yimthe heavenוְגַם־דְּגֵיve/GAM-de/GEand also the fish ofהַיָּםhay/YAMthe seaיֵאָסֵפוּ׃ye/a/SE/fushall be taken away

   Therefore 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.

4. 4

   אַךְakhyetאִישׁisha manאַל־יָרֵבal-ya/REVlet not striveוְאַל־יוֹכַחve/AL-yo/KHACHnor reproveאִישׁisha manוְעַמְּךָve/am/me/KHAfor your peopleכִּמְרִיבֵיkim/ri/VEare as they that strive withכֹהֵן׃kho/HENthe priest

   Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.

5. 5

   וְכָשַׁלְתָּve/kha/shal/TAand you shall stumbleהַיּוֹםhay/YOMin the dayוְכָשַׁלve/kha/SHALand shall stumbleגַּם־נָבִיאgam-na/VIthe prophet alsoעִמְּךָim/me/KHAwith youלָיְלָהLAY/lain the nightוְדָמִיתִיve/da/MI/tiand I will destroyאִמֶּךָ׃im/ME/khayour mother

   Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.

6. 6

   נִדְמוּnid/MUare destroyedעַמִּיam/MImy peopleמִבְּלִיmib/be/LIfor lack ofהַדָּעַתhad/DA/atknowledgeכִּי־אַתָּהki-at/TAbecause youהַדַּעַתhad/DA/atknowledgeמָאַסְתָּma/AS/tahave rejected(ואמאסאך)vmskh[וְאֶמְאָסְךָ]ve/em/a/se/KHAI will also reject youמִכַּהֵןmik/ka/HENfrom being priestלִיlito meוַתִּשְׁכַּחvat/tish/KACHseeing you have forgottenתּוֹרַתto/RATthe law ofאֱלֹהֶיךָe/lo/HE/khayour Godאֶשְׁכַּחesh/KACHI will forgetבָּנֶיךָba/NE/khayour childrenגַּם־אָנִי׃gam-A/nialso I

   My 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.

7. 7

   כְּרֻבָּםke/rub/BAMas they were increasedכֵּןkensoחָטְאוּ־לִיcha/te/U-lithey sinned against meכְּבוֹדָםke/vo/DAMtheir gloryבְּקָלוֹןbe/ka/LONinto shameאָמִיר׃a/MIRwill I change

   As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.

8. 8

   חַטַּאתchat/TATthe sin ofעַמִּיam/MImy peopleיֹאכֵלוּyo/KHE/luthey eat upוְאֶל־עֲוֺנָםve/EL-a/vo/NAMand on their iniquityיִשְׂאוּyis/Uthey setנַפְשׁוֹ׃naf/SHOhis soul

   They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.

9. 9

   וְהָיָהve/ha/YAand there shall beכָעָםkha/AMlike peopleכַּכֹּהֵןkak/ko/HENlike priestוּפָקַדְתִּיu/fa/kad/TIand I will visitעָלָיוa/LAYVupon himדְּרָכָיוde/ra/KHAYVhis waysוּמַעֲלָלָיוu/ma/a/la/LAYVand his deedsאָשִׁיבa/SHIVI will rewardלוֹ׃lohim

   And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

10. 10

    וְאָכְלוּve/a/khe/LUfor they shall eatוְלֹאve/LOand notיִשְׂבָּעוּyis/BA/uhave enoughהִזְנוּhiz/NUthey shall play the harlotוְלֹאve/LOand notיִפְרֹצוּyif/RO/tsuincreaseכִּי־אֶת־יְהֹוָהki-et-Adonaibecause the LORDעָזְבוּa/ze/VUthey have left offלִשְׁמֹר׃lish/MORto take heed to

    For 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.

11. 11

    זְנוּתze/NUTharlotryוְיַיִןve/YA/yinand wineוְתִירוֹשׁve/ti/ROSHand new wineיִקַּח־לֵב׃yik/KACH-levtake away the heart

    Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

12. 12

    עַמִּיam/MImy peopleבְּעֵצוֹbe/e/TSOof his woodיִשְׁאָלyish/ALasks counselוּמַקְלוֹu/mak/LOand his staffיַגִּידyag/GIDdeclaresלוֹloto himכִּיkiforרוּחַRU/achthe spirit ofזְנוּנִיםze/nu/NIMharlotryהִתְעָהhit/Ahas caused them to errוַיִּזְנוּvay/yiz/NUand they have played the harlotמִתַּחַתmit/TA/chatfrom underאֱלֹהֵיהֶם׃e/lo/he/HEMtheir God

    My 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.

13. 13

    עַל־רָאשֵׁיal-ra/SHEupon the heads ofהֶהָרִיםhe/ha/RIMthe mountainsיְזַבֵּחוּye/zab/BE/chuthey sacrificeוְעַל־הַגְּבָעוֹתve/AL-hag/ge/va/OTand upon the hillsיְקַטֵּרוּye/kat/TE/ruthey burn incenseתַּחַתTA/chatunderאַלּוֹןal/LONoaksוְלִבְנֶהve/liv/NEand poplarsוְאֵלָהve/e/LAand terebinthsכִּיkibecauseטוֹבtovgoodצִלָּהּtsil/LAis its shadeעַל־כֵּןal-kenthereforeתִּזְנֶינָהtiz/NE/nashall play the harlotבְּנוֹתֵיכֶםbe/no/te/KHEMyour daughtersוְכַלּוֹתֵיכֶםve/khal/lo/te/KHEMand your daughters-in-lawתְּנָאַפְנָה׃te/na/AF/nashall commit adultery

    They 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.

14. 14

    לֹא־אֶפְקוֹדlo-ef/KODI will not punishעַל־בְּנוֹתֵיכֶםal-be/no/te/KHEMyour daughtersכִּיkiwhenתִזְנֶינָהtiz/NE/nathey play the harlotוְעַל־כַּלּוֹתֵיכֶםve/AL-kal/lo/te/KHEMnor your daughters-in-lawכִּיkiwhenתְנָאַפְנָהte/na/AF/nathey commit adulteryכִּי־הֵםki-hemfor they themselvesעִם־הַזֹּנוֹתim-haz/zo/NOTwith the harlotsיְפָרֵדוּye/fa/RE/duare separatedוְעִם־הַקְּדֵשׁוֹתve/IM-hak/ke/de/SHOTand with the cult prostitutesיְזַבֵּחוּye/zab/BE/chuthey sacrificeוְעָםve/AMtherefore the peopleלֹא־יָבִיןlo-ya/VINthat does not understandיִלָּבֵט׃yil/la/VETshall fall

    I 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.

15. 15

    אִם־זֹנֶהim-zo/NEthough playing the harlotאַתָּהat/TAyouיִשְׂרָאֵלYis/ra/ELO Israelאַל־יֶאְשַׁםal-ye/SHAMlet not offendיְהוּדָהYe/hu/DAJudahוְאַל־תָּבֹאוּve/AL-ta/VO/uand come notהַגִּלְגָּלhag/Gil/GALto Gilgalוְאַל־תַּעֲלוּve/AL-ta/a/LUneither go upבֵּיתBetto Beth-אָוֶןA/venavenוְאַל־תִּשָּׁבְעוּve/AL-tish/sha/ve/Unor swearחַי־יְהֹוָה׃chay-Adonaithe LORD lives

    Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.

16. 16

    כִּיkiforכְּפָרָהke/fa/RAas a heiferסֹרֵרָהso/re/RAbackslidingסָרַרsa/RARslides backיִשְׂרָאֵלYis/ra/ELIsraelעַתָּהat/TAnowיִרְעֵםyir/EMwill feed themיְהֹוָהAdonaithe LORDכְּכֶבֶשׂke/KHE/vesas a lambבַּמֶּרְחָב׃bam/mer/CHAVin a large place

    For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

17. 17

    חֲבוּרcha/VURis joined toעֲצַבִּיםa/tsab/BIMidolsאֶפְרָיִםEf/RA/yimEphraimהַנַּח־לוֹ׃han/NACH-lolet him alone

    Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

18. 18

    סָרsaris sourסׇבְאָםsov/AMtheir drinkהַזְנֵהhaz/NEplay the harlotהִזְנוּhiz/NUthey play the harlotאָהֲבוּA/ha/vuthey lovedהֵבוּhe/VUgiveקָלוֹןka/LONshameמָגִנֶּיהָ׃ma/gin/NE/haher shields

    Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.

19. 19

    צָרַרtsa/RARhas bound upרוּחַRU/achthe windאוֹתָהּo/TAherבִּכְנָפֶיהָbikh/na/FE/hain her wingsוְיֵבֹשׁוּve/ye/VO/shuand they shall be ashamedמִזִּבְחוֹתָם׃miz/ziv/cho/TAMbecause of their sacrifices

    The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.