Hosea 4:11 kjv
Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
Hosea 4:11 nkjv
"Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart.
Hosea 4:11 niv
to prostitution; old wine and new wine take away their understanding.
Hosea 4:11 esv
whoredom, wine, and new wine, which take away the understanding.
Hosea 4:11 nlt
to worship other gods.
"Wine has robbed my people
of their understanding.
Hosea 4 11 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
Hosea 4:11 | "Either whoredom and wine and new wine take away the understanding." | Hosea 4:11 |
Genesis 2:9 | "And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; and the tree of life also in the midst of the garden..." | Genesis 2:9 |
Proverbs 20:1 | "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." | Proverbs 20:1 |
Proverbs 31:4 | "It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:" | Proverbs 31:4 |
Isaiah 28:7 | "But they also have erred through wine, and with strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink..." | Isaiah 28:7 |
Jeremiah 16:18 | "And I will first4 doubly recompense their iniquity and their sin; because with the carcasses of their abominations and with their detestable things have they polluted my land..." | Jeremiah 16:18 |
Malachi 2:9 | "Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law." | Malachi 2:9 |
Matthew 15:19 | "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:" | Matthew 15:19 |
1 Corinthians 6:10 | "Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." | 1 Corinthians 6:10 |
Ephesians 5:18 | "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" | Ephesians 5:18 |
1 Timothy 3:3 | "Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but a lover of peace, not a brawler;" | 1 Timothy 3:3 |
Titus 1:7 | "For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;" | Titus 1:7 |
1 Peter 4:3 | "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings..." | 1 Peter 4:3 |
Romans 1:28 | "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;" | Romans 1:28 |
Psalm 119:130 | "The entrance of thy words giveth light, it giveth understanding unto the simple." | Psalm 119:130 |
Jeremiah 5:4 | "Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God." | Jeremiah 5:4 |
Hosea 4:6 | "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee..." | Hosea 4:6 |
Isaiah 5:11 | "Woe unto them that rise early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!" | Isaiah 5:11 |
Amos 4:1 | "Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy..." | Amos 4:1 |
Galatians 5:19-21 | "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like..." | Galatians 5:19-21 |
Hosea 4 verses
Hosea 4 11 Meaning
Hosea 4:11 signifies the complete perversion of Israel’s spiritual and social life, attributing their downfall to their neglect of understanding and obedience to God's law. It highlights how sins, particularly those involving sexual immorality and the wine trade, have led to a spiritual drought and confusion, affecting their relationship with God and their daily lives.
Hosea 4 11 Context
Hosea chapter 4 depicts the severe spiritual and moral decline of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, particularly under the reign of King Jeroboam II. God, through the prophet Hosea, pronounces judgment on Israel for their persistent disobedience, idolatry, and social injustice. The chapter highlights a lack of knowledge of God and a perversion of justice, leading to a breakdown in societal order and spiritual life. Verse 11 directly addresses the root causes of this moral decay, identifying sexual immorality and excessive consumption of wine as major factors that have robbed the people and their leaders of wisdom and discernment. This verse reflects the broader prophetic theme of covenant unfaithfulness leading to divine punishment, and it underscores the corrupting influence of sin on individual lives and the nation as a whole.
Hosea 4 11 Word Analysis
And: Connects the preceding consequences to specific sins.
lettuo (וְ)`: Hebrew conjunction meaning "and" or "even."
zônâh (זִנָּה): This verb signifies sexual immorality, broadly including adultery, fornication, and idolatry (spiritual unfaithfulness). It carries a strong sense of perversion and deviation from proper relationships.
ye-’im (יִּ — `i m ): A conjunctive particle, often translated as "or." It presents alternative, but in this context, compounding factors contributing to the problem.
shedath (שֵׁדַת): Likely derived from a root meaning "to destroy" or "to spoil." Here it is translated as "whoredom" in the King James Version. Some scholars suggest it refers to a specific type of illicit sexual activity or a cultic prostitution associated with pagan worship. It reinforces the pervasive nature of sexual sin.
tirosh (תִּירוֹשׁ): Refers to "new wine" or "fresh wine." It signifies the produce of the grape, representing indulgence and celebratory beverages. Its association with spiritual dullness indicates a failure to exercise self-control and to discern God’s will.
wəyên (וְיַ — `w ə y i ⁿ ): Hebrew for "and wine." This term generally refers to fermented wine. It represents indulgence and a means of escaping reality, leading to clouded judgment.
yeḳaḥ (יִּ — `a ḥ): A verb form meaning "take away," "take," or "carry off." It denotes the action of robbing or depriving.
lab-bhùw (לִבּ — `u bh ): Hebrew for "heart." In the Old Testament, the heart is often understood as the center of intellect, will, and emotions. It represents the core of a person's being, their capacity for understanding and making decisions.
yaḵlîl (יַ — `a ḵ l īl): A Piel verb meaning "to render completely void," "to take away entirely," or "to consume." It conveys the idea of complete removal or destruction.
ha-sekel (הַשֶּׂ — `k e l ): Hebrew for "understanding," "wisdom," or "discernment." It refers to the ability to perceive, comprehend, and make wise choices, particularly in relation to divine truth.
Group Analysis: The phrase "whoredom and wine and new wine" links together three corrupting influences. The connection between "zônâh" and "tirosh" emphasizes how rampant sexual sin and unchecked indulgence in intoxicating drinks lead to a complete spiritual and intellectual void, hindering the people from knowing or obeying God. The word "shedath" might be a specialized term referring to the pervasive influence of these vices.
Hosea 4 11 Bonus Section
The verse presents a chiasm-like structure in its construction: "whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart understanding." This mirrored arrangement emphasizes the parallel destructiveness of these sins. The concept of "taking away understanding" aligns with numerous passages that equate a lack of knowledge of God with ruin (e.g., Hosea 4:6). Furthermore, the prohibition against leaders being "given to wine" (1 Timothy 3:3, Titus 1:7) echoes the idea that clear-headedness is essential for righteous leadership. The combination of sexual sin and wine highlights a culture that has embraced worldly indulgences at the expense of divine fellowship. The prophetic pronouncements in Hosea often relate the spiritual state of the nation to agricultural cycles; here, the perversion of wine, a product of the land blessed by God, signifies a perversion of God's good provisions.
Hosea 4 11 Commentary
Hosea 4:11 serves as a stark warning about the consequences of unbridled sin, particularly sexual immorality and drunkenness. These vices, far from being mere personal failings, are presented as having a devastating effect on one's ability to understand spiritual truth and to make sound judgments. The "heart" (libh) losing its "understanding" (haskell) signifies a profound cognitive and moral decline. When people turn away from God's truth, they often seek refuge or escape in worldly pleasures. Wine, while permitted for celebration, becomes detrimental when consumed excessively, leading to confusion and spiritual dullness, as noted in Proverbs and Isaiah. Similarly, sexual sin, from idolatry to literal fornication, corrupts the deepest faculties of the human being. This verse underscores the inseparable link between morality and spirituality; true understanding and wisdom are gifts from God, forfeited through persistent disobedience and indulgence in sin. It speaks to the comprehensive nature of spiritual decline where vices erode both individual and collective capacity to perceive God’s will.
- Practical Usage Example: This verse cautions against allowing excessive drinking or immoral behavior to cloud one's judgment and spiritual discernment in personal decisions or within relationships. It encourages prioritizing spiritual wisdom over fleeting pleasures that can lead to moral and intellectual compromise.