Hosea 4:18
16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.
Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.
19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- When their liquor is gone, they turn to prostitution; their rulers dearly love disgrace.
- KJV
- Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.
- WEB
- Their drink has become sour. They play the prostitute continually. Her rulers dearly love their shameful way.
- ASV
- Their drink is become sour; they play the harlot continually; her rulers dearly love shame.
- DARBY
- Their drink is sour; they give themselves up to whoredom; her great men passionately love [their] shame.
- BLB
- Has turned aside their liquor, they engage in flagrant prostitution; her rulers dearly love love dishonor.
- ÅB
- Deres rus er forbi; utukt har deres skjold[^4] drevet, høyt har de elsket det som skammelig er.
- OTB
- Selv når deres drikk er borte, fortsetter de sin prostitusjon; deres ledere elsker skammelige veier.
- B1930
- Deres rus er forbi; utukt har deres skjold drevet, høit har de elsket det som skammelig er.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Micah 3:11
The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.
Read in contextProverbs 30:15–16
The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
Read in contextExodus 23:8
And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
Read in contextDeuteronomy 16:19
Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
Read in contextMicah 7:3
That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.
Read in contextDeuteronomy 32:32–33
For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter:
Read in contextAmos 5:12
For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.
Read in context1 Samuel 8:3
And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
Read in context