Hosea 4 הוֹשֵׁעַ פרק ד׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Hosea 4 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   שִׁמְעוּhearדְבַר־יְהֹוָהthe word of the LORDבְּנֵיthe sons ofיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelכִּיbecauseרִיבcontentionלַיהֹוָהto the LORDעִם־יוֹשְׁבֵיwith the inhabitants ofהָאָרֶץthe landכִּיbecauseאֵין־אֱמֶתthere is no truthוְאֵין־חֶסֶדand there is no mercyוְאֵין־דַּעַתand there is no knowledge ofאֱלֹהִיםGodבָּאָרֶץ׃in 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

   אָלֹהswearingוְכַחֵשׁand lyingוְרָצֹחַand murderingוְגָנֹבand stealingוְנָאֹףand committing adulteryפָּרָצוּthey break outוְדָמִיםand bloodבְּדָמִיםbloodנָגָעוּ׃they reached

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

3. 3

   עַל־כֵּןthereforeתֶּאֱבַלit will mournהָאָרֶץthe landוְאֻמְלַלand shall languishכׇּל־יוֹשֵׁבeveryone dwellingבָּהּin itבְּחַיַּתby the beasts ofהַשָּׂדֶהthe fieldוּבְעוֹףand over the birds ofהַשָּׁמָיִםthe heavensוְגַם־דְּגֵיand also the fish ofהַיָּםthe seaיֵאָסֵפוּ׃they will be gathered

   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

   אַךְbutאִישׁa manאַל־יָרֵבlet him not striveוְאַל־יוֹכַחand do not he reproveאִישׁa manוְעַמְּךָand your peopleכִּמְרִיבֵיis like those who contendכֹהֵן׃a priest

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

5. 5

   וְכָשַׁלְתָּand you will stumbleהַיּוֹםthe dayוְכָשַׁלand he will stumbleגַּם־נָבִיאalso a prophetעִמְּךָwith youלָיְלָהnightוְדָמִיתִיand I will destroyאִמֶּךָ׃your 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

   נִדְמוּare destroyedעַמִּיmy peopleמִבְּלִיwithoutהַדָּעַתthe knowledgeכִּי־אַתָּהthat youהַדַּעַתthe knowledgeמָאַסְתָּyou have rejected(ואמאסאך)[וְאֶמְאָסְךָ]and I will reject youמִכַּהֵןfrom being priestלִיto meוַתִּשְׁכַּחand you have forgottenתּוֹרַתthe law ofאֱלֹהֶיךָyour GodאֶשְׁכַּחI will forgetבָּנֶיךָyour sonsגַּם־אָנִי׃also 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

   כְּרֻבָּםas they increasedכֵּןthusחָטְאוּ־לִיsinned to meכְּבוֹדָםtheir gloryבְּקָלוֹןfor shameאָמִיר׃I will change

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

8. 8

   חַטַּאתsin offeringעַמִּיmy peopleיֹאכֵלוּthey shall eatוְאֶל־עֲוֺנָםand their iniquityיִשְׂאוּshall lift upנַפְשׁוֹ׃his soul

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

9. 9

   וְהָיָהand beכָעָםas the peopleכַּכֹּהֵןas the priestוּפָקַדְתִּיand I will visitעָלָיוupon himדְּרָכָיוhis waysוּמַעֲלָלָיוand his deedsאָשִׁיבI will recompenseלוֹ׃to him

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

10. 10

    וְאָכְלוּand they shall eatוְלֹאand notיִשְׂבָּעוּthey will be satisfiedהִזְנוּthey will prostitute themselvesוְלֹאand notיִפְרֹצוּthey shall increaseכִּי־אֶת־יְהֹוָהbecause the LORDעָזְבוּthey have left offלִשְׁמֹר׃to keep

    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

    זְנוּתwhoredomוְיַיִןand wineוְתִירוֹשׁand new wineיִקַּח־לֵב׃take away the heart

    Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

12. 12

    עַמִּיmy peopleבְּעֵצוֹat his stockיִשְׁאָלhe enquiresוּמַקְלוֹand his stickיַגִּידshall declareלוֹto himכִּיforרוּחַthe spirit ofזְנוּנִיםharlotryהִתְעָהhas caused to errוַיִּזְנוּand they committed whoredomsמִתַּחַתfrom beneathאֱלֹהֵיהֶם׃their 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־רָאשֵׁיupon the heads ofהֶהָרִיםthe mountainsיְזַבֵּחוּthey sacrificeוְעַל־הַגְּבָעוֹתand upon the hillsיְקַטֵּרוּthey burnתַּחַתunderאַלּוֹןoakוְלִבְנֶהand poplarוְאֵלָהand terebinthכִּיbecauseטוֹבgoodצִלָּהּits shadeעַל־כֵּןthereforeתִּזְנֶינָהthey prostitute themselvesבְּנוֹתֵיכֶםyour daughtersוְכַלּוֹתֵיכֶםand your bridesתְּנָאַפְנָה׃they 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־אֶפְקוֹדI will not punishעַל־בְּנוֹתֵיכֶםupon your daughtersכִּיbecauseתִזְנֶינָהthey prostitute themselvesוְעַל־כַּלּוֹתֵיכֶםand upon your bridesכִּיbecauseתְנָאַפְנָהthey commit adulteryכִּי־הֵםbecause theyעִם־הַזֹּנוֹתwith the harlotsיְפָרֵדוּthey go apartוְעִם־הַקְּדֵשׁוֹתand with the cult prostitutesיְזַבֵּחוּthey sacrificeוְעָםand a peopleלֹא־יָבִיןnot understandיִלָּבֵט׃he will be ruined

    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־זֹנֶהthough play the harlotאַתָּהyouיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelאַל־יֶאְשַׁםdo not he will be guiltyיְהוּדָהJudahוְאַל־תָּבֹאוּand do not should enterהַגִּלְגָּלto Gilgalוְאַל־תַּעֲלוּand do not go upבֵּיתBeth-אָוֶןavenוְאַל־תִּשָּׁבְעוּand do not swearחַי־יְהֹוָה׃as the 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

    כִּיforכְּפָרָהlike a heiferסֹרֵרָהstubbornסָרַרslides backיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelעַתָּהnowיִרְעֵםwill shepherd themיְהֹוָהthe LORDכְּכֶבֶשׂas a lambבַּמֶּרְחָב׃in the roomy place

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

17. 17

    חֲבוּרjoined ofעֲצַבִּיםidolsאֶפְרָיִםEphraimהַנַּח־לוֹ׃let him alone

    Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

18. 18

    סָרis sourסׇבְאָםtheir drinkהַזְנֵהcontinuallyהִזְנוּthey will prostitute themselvesאָהֲבוּthey lovedהֵבוּgive youקָלוֹןshameמָגִנֶּיהָ׃her rulers

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

19. 19

    צָרַרhath bound upרוּחַthe windאוֹתָהּherבִּכְנָפֶיהָin its wingsוְיֵבֹשׁוּand they may be ashamedמִזִּבְחוֹתָם׃from their sacrifices

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