The Meaning of Hosea 4:10 Explained

Hosea 4:10

KJV: 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.

YLT: And they have eaten, and are not satisfied, They have gone a-whoring, and increase not, For they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.

Darby: and they shall eat, and not have enough; they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: for they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.

ASV: And they shall eat, and not have enough; they shall play the harlot, and shall not increase; because they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.

Discover Hosea 4:10

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Hosea 4:10?

MEANING: What does Hosea 4:10 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Hosea 4:10 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Hosea 4:10?

What is the context of Hosea 4:10?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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.

What does Hosea 4:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

They would eat but not have enough because the Lord would send drought and scarcity of food as punishment (cf. Hosea 4:3). They would act like harlots by committing fornication with pagan temple prostitutes, but their numbers would not increase because Yahweh would reduce their fertility. He would do this because they had stopped listening to and obeying Him by observing His law.

Context Summary

Hosea 4:1-10 - "like People, Like Priest"

This chapter contains a terrible indictment against the whole kingdom. There was neither truth nor mercy in the land, but swearing, lying, and adultery. Apart from the restraints of religion, such would be the condition of human society today. Even atheists have been known to remove from mining-camps, where there was no semblance of religion, to places within the sound of the church-bell. Notice in Hosea 4:3 how man's sin seems to affect even the animals. "The whole creation groaneth and travaileth"¦ waiting for our adoption" as the recognized sons of God, Romans 8:22-23.

Rightly enough, the prophet remonstrates with the priests. They were drunken and sensual; they rejected the knowledge and rule of God; they promoted outward ritual in order to fatten on the offerings of the people; and as it was with them, so it became with the deluded worshipers. What a solemn lesson is contained in the proverb which originated in this passage, Like people, like priest! It is not what we teach, but what we are, that really affects men. The colorless rays of the sun, lying outside the prismatic band of color, give health. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 4

¹ God denounces judgments on Israel, for their aggravated impieties and iniquities
¹² He exposes the ignorance and wickedness of the priests,
¹³ and moral dissolution of the people,
¹⁴ he will leave their wives and daughters to commit lewdness, without present punishment
¹⁵ He warns Judah, not to imitate Israel's crimes, which are still further reproved

What do the individual words in Hosea 4:10 mean?

For they shall eat but not have enough they shall commit harlotry increase because - Yahweh they have ceased obeying

וְאָֽכְלוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א יִשְׂבָּ֔עוּ הִזְנ֖וּ יִפְרֹ֑צוּ כִּֽי־ אֶת־ יְהוָ֥ה עָזְב֖וּ לִשְׁמֹֽר

וְאָֽכְלוּ֙	For they shall eat
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural Root: אָכַל Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
וְלֹ֣א	but not
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle Root: הֲלֹא Sense: not, no.
יִשְׂבָּ֔עוּ	have enough
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural Root: שָׂבַע Sense: to be satisfied, be sated, be fulfilled, be surfeited.
הִזְנ֖וּ	they shall commit harlotry
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural Root: זָנָה Sense: to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot.
יִפְרֹ֑צוּ	increase
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural Root: פָּרַץ Sense: to break through or down or over, burst, breach.
כִּֽי־	because
Parse: Conjunction Root: כִּי Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אֶת־	-
Parse: Direct object marker Root: אֹות Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוָ֥ה	Yahweh
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: יהוה Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עָזְב֖וּ	they have ceased
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural Root: עָזַב Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
לִשְׁמֹֽר	obeying
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct Root: שָׁמַר Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.

What are the major concepts related to Hosea 4:10?

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Similar Scriptures for Hosea 4:10

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