Hosea 4:1a| controversy| Isa. 3:13-14;| Jer. 25:31;| Hosea 12:2
Hosea 4:11| faithfulness
| Or, truth. As the unchaste wife of Jehovah, Israel became evil. Once a wife becomes unchaste, all kinds of evils follow. Once we forsake God, we too can do any kind of evil.
Hosea 4:1b| no| Jer. 2:8;| 4:22;| 5:4;| Hosea 5:4
Hosea 4:51| you
| Referring to the priest (v. 6).
Hosea 4:6a| lack| Isa. 5:13
Hosea 4:61| that
| Referring back to v. 1.
Hosea 4:71| they
| Referring again to the priests.
Hosea 4:7a| shame| 1|Sam. 2:30;| Mal. 2:9;| Phil. 3:19
Hosea 4:81| their
| The priests desired that the people would sin, because the more the people sinned, the more sin offerings there would be for the priests to eat.
Hosea 4:91| so
| The priests, who had been sanctified, separated, to be a special group among the people, made themselves the same as the people, becoming low and common.
Hosea 4:10a| not| Lev. 26:26;| Micah 6:14;| Hag. 1:6
Hosea 4:111| take
| The people of Israel had no heart for anything but fornication, wine, and new wine.
Hosea 4:121| wooden
| Instead of praying to God and inquiring of Him, God’s people inquired at their wooden post (idol).
Hosea 4:12a| harlots| Deut. 31:16;| Judg. 2:17;| 1|Chron. 5:25;| Psa. 73:27
Hosea 4:141| punish
| Or, visit (i.e., for punishment). So throughout the book.
Hosea 4:142| prostitutes
| Technically, cult prostitutes (cf. Deut. 23:17).
Hosea 4:151a| Gilgal| Hosea 9:15;| 12:11;| Amos 4:4;| 5:5;| Judg. 3:19
| Gilgal was the center of idolatry (9:15; 12:11; Amos 4:4; 5:5).
Hosea 4:152b| Beth-aven| Hosea 5:8;| 10:5;| cf. 1|Kings 12:28-29
| Meaning house of nothingness, or house of idolatry. It was probably applied contemptuously to Bethel, which had become a seat of idolatry (1|Kings 12:26-33; cf. Hosea 5:8; 10:5).
Hosea 4:16a| stubborn| Jer. 5:23;| 7:24;| 9:14;| Zech. 7:11
Hosea 4:181| rulers
| Lit., shields.