Hosea 4 13

Hosea 4:13 kjv

They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

Hosea 4:13 nkjv

They offer sacrifices on the mountaintops, And burn incense on the hills, Under oaks, poplars, and terebinths, Because their shade is good. Therefore your daughters commit harlotry, And your brides commit adultery.

Hosea 4:13 niv

They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar and terebinth, where the shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery.

Hosea 4:13 esv

They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is good. Therefore your daughters play the whore, and your brides commit adultery.

Hosea 4:13 nlt

They offer sacrifices to idols on the mountaintops.
They go up into the hills to burn incense
in the pleasant shade of oaks, poplars, and terebinth trees.
"That is why your daughters turn to prostitution,
and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

Hosea 4 verses

Hosea 4 13 meaning

Hosea 4:13 details the prevalent idolatrous practices of ancient Israel, where they engaged in pagan sacrifices on elevated locations and under specific trees considered sacred by their neighbors. The "good shade" of these trees provided a comfortable and inviting atmosphere for these forbidden rites. This verse then explicitly connects this spiritual infidelity directly to the resulting moral decay within society, specifically stating that because of the parents' idolatry, their daughters and daughters-in-law committed both spiritual and literal sexual immorality, implying a direct consequence and divine judgment.

Hosea 4 13 Context

Hosea chapter 4 opens with a strong indictment against Israel, particularly highlighting their lack of "knowledge of God" which has led to moral corruption throughout the land. The prophet decries widespread sin: swearing, lying, murder, stealing, adultery, and bloodshed. This verse (4:13) fits into the larger theme by providing a specific example of this spiritual failure—idolatry. It details the pagan practices on high places, explicitly linking these illicit worship acts to the subsequent moral breakdown within the family structure, directly attributing the sexual promiscuity of their women to the fathers' and husbands' worship of false gods. Historically, Israel in the Northern Kingdom period often blended Yahweh worship with Canaanite Baal and Asherah cults, often at natural "high places" (בָּמוֹת – bamot) or sacred groves under trees, practices repeatedly condemned in the Law and by subsequent prophets.

Hosea 4 13 Word analysis

• They sacrifice (זָבַח - zavakh): Refers to the ritual slaughter and offering of animals. Here, it signifies sacrifices made to false gods, specifically breaking the Mosaic Law's injunction against offering sacrifices anywhere other than God's appointed place.
• on the tops of the mountains (עַל רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים - al rashei heharim): "High places" were prominent locations for ancient Near Eastern pagan worship, dedicated to fertility deities or local gods. This practice stood in direct contrast to God's command for centralized worship.
• and burn offerings (וְיְקַטְּרוּ - v'yeqatru): Pertains to burning incense or parts of a sacrifice, typically done to evoke the presence or favor of a deity. In this context, it is directed toward idols, a clear act of idolatry.
• on the hills (עַל הַגְּבָעוֹת - al hagva'ot): Reinforces the widespread nature of illicit worship, indicating that these practices were not limited to specific cultic sites but were commonplace in natural, elevated areas.
• under oak (תַּחַת אַלּוֹן - tachat allon): The oak, along with other large trees, was often revered in pagan fertility cults. These 'sacred trees' were thought to embody or attract divine presence.
• poplar (וְלִבְנֶה - v'livneh): The white poplar, another prominent tree, shared similar cultic associations as places for pagan rituals, often including sacred prostitution.
• and terebinth (וְאֵלָה - v'eilah): The terebinth or elm tree also held significance as a cultic tree, associated with ancient deities. The use of specific, often majestic, trees served to frame a perceived spiritual presence, diverging from worship of the unseen God of Israel.
• because their shade is good (כִּי טוֹב צִלָּהּ - ki tov tsillah): This phrase highlights the deceptive appeal of these pagan sites. The "good shade" provides physical comfort and a seemingly idyllic setting, obscuring the inherent evil and spiritual danger of the practices occurring there. It underscores how attractive, pleasant surroundings can mask profound wickedness, symbolizing spiritual blindness to the corruption.
• Therefore (עַל־כֵּן - al-ken): A crucial conjunction signaling a direct cause-and-effect relationship. The preceding idolatry is directly linked to the subsequent moral collapse.
• your daughters commit whoredom (תִּזְנֶינָה בְנוֹתֵיכֶם - tiznayna b'noteikhem): The verb zanah refers to harlotry or prostitution. It has both a literal meaning of sexual immorality and a prominent prophetic metaphor for spiritual infidelity against God (idolatry). Here, it implies both.
• and your daughters-in-law commit adultery (וְכַלּוֹתֵיכֶם תְּנָאֵפְנָה - v'khalloteikhem t'naefna): The verb naef specifically denotes adultery, illicit sexual relations by a married person. The mention of both daughters and daughters-in-law signifies widespread corruption within families, affecting different generations and marital statuses, showing a pervasive moral breakdown.

• "They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burn offerings on the hills": This phrase details the geographical and ritualistic nature of Israel's idolatry, mirroring the pagan practices of the surrounding Canaanite cultures. It's a direct contravention of God's commands regarding centralized and exclusive worship.
• "under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is good": This groups the specific pagan cult locations, emphasizing how the pleasant aesthetics (good shade) of natural groves served to draw people into false worship, highlighting the seductive nature of syncretism. It's a polemic against the idea that the "natural" beauty of such places implied divine favor for the activities held there.
• "Therefore your daughters commit whoredom and your daughters-in-law commit adultery": This powerful pairing establishes a divine principle: the spiritual unfaithfulness of the elders and leaders (spiritual whoredom/idolatry) directly results in and is mirrored by literal sexual immorality and social degradation among the next generation. It signifies the devastating consequence of spiritual apostasy on societal morality and family purity.

Hosea 4 13 Bonus section

The specific mention of "oak, poplar, and terebinth" points to trees deeply embedded in ancient Near Eastern pagan worship. These were often viewed as sacred, hosting spirits or deities, or acting as symbols of fertility. The Hebrew names carry implications; for instance, allon (oak) is linguistically close to El (God), possibly indicating a pre-existing reverence or association. The widespread use of high places and sacred groves under these trees was a common practice across the region for celebrating harvest rituals, fertility rites, and divination, directly competing with and corrupting the prescribed worship of Yahweh at His temple. This was not just convenience but deliberate syncretism and often, explicit devotion to other deities, particularly for blessings of fertility in crops and offspring, mistakenly sought outside of God. The "good shade" wasn't merely comfortable but facilitated prolonged illicit gatherings.

Hosea 4 13 Commentary

Hosea 4:13 stands as a potent indictment of Israel's pervasive idolatry and its direct, destructive impact on the nation's moral fabric. The description of their worship on "mountains and hills" and "under oak, poplar, and terebinth" precisely delineates their participation in pagan fertility cults, mirroring the practices of Canaanite worshipers of Baal and Asherah. The ironic mention of the "good shade" exposes the superficial allure of these false gods, emphasizing how pleasant external appearances could mask grave spiritual offense. This engagement in spiritual prostitution—worshipping other gods—is presented not merely as an abstract theological error, but as the direct causal link, signified by "Therefore," to the very real and devastating consequence of literal sexual immorality among their daughters and daughters-in-law. This illustrates a profound biblical truth: true worship of God is intrinsically linked to moral purity and social order, and spiritual apostasy inevitably leads to a breakdown of societal ethics and family integrity. The nation’s spiritual adultery spawned literal adultery, creating a vicious cycle of sin and judgment.