The Meaning of Hosea 4:9 Explained

Hosea 4:9

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

YLT: And it hath been, like people, like priest, And I have charged on it its ways, And its habitual doings I return to it.

Darby: And it shall be as the people so the priest; and I will visit their ways upon them, and recompense to them their doings;

ASV: And it shall be, like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and will requite them their doings.

Discover Hosea 4:9

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Hosea 4:9?

MEANING: What does Hosea 4:9 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Hosea 4:9 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Hosea 4:9?

What is the context of Hosea 4:9?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Hosea 4:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God would, therefore, punish the unfaithful priests of Israel as He would punish the unfaithful people of Israel. Both groups were sinning, so God promised to punish them for their sinful ways and to repay them for their idolatrous works.

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 4:9 mean?

And it shall be like people like priest so I will punish them for their ways and for their deeds reward them

וְהָיָ֥ה כָעָ֖ם כַּכֹּהֵ֑ן וּפָקַדְתִּ֤י עָלָיו֙ דְּרָכָ֔יו וּמַעֲלָלָ֖יו אָשִׁ֥יב לֽוֹ

וְהָיָ֥ה	And it shall be
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular Root: אֶהְיֶה Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כָעָ֖ם	like people
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular Root: עַם Sense: nation, people.
כַּכֹּהֵ֑ן	like priest
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular Root: כֹּהֵן Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וּפָקַדְתִּ֤י	so I will punish
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular Root: פָּקַד Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
דְּרָכָ֔יו	for their ways
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular Root: דֶּרֶךְ Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
וּמַעֲלָלָ֖יו	and for their deeds
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular Root: מַעֲלִיל Sense: deed, practice.
אָשִׁ֥יב	reward
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular Root: שׁוּב Sense: to return, turn back.

What are the major concepts related to Hosea 4:9?

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Similar Scriptures for Hosea 4:9

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