Hosea 4:14 kjv
I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.
Hosea 4:14 nkjv
"I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry, Nor your brides when they commit adultery; For the men themselves go apart with harlots, And offer sacrifices with a ritual harlot. Therefore people who do not understand will be trampled.
Hosea 4:14 niv
"I will not punish your daughters when they turn to prostitution, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery, because the men themselves consort with harlots and sacrifice with shrine prostitutes? a people without understanding will come to ruin!
Hosea 4:14 esv
I will not punish your daughters when they play the whore, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for the men themselves go aside with prostitutes and sacrifice with cult prostitutes, and a people without understanding shall come to ruin.
Hosea 4:14 nlt
But why should I punish them
for their prostitution and adultery?
For your men are doing the same thing,
sinning with whores and shrine prostitutes.
O foolish people! You refuse to understand,
so you will be destroyed.
Hosea 4 14 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
Hosea 4:14 | "I will not punish your daughters when they commit sexual immorality..." | Hosea 4:14 (fulfillment of prophetic judgment) |
Jeremiah 3:8 | "...she committed adultery with stocks and stones." | Jer 3:8 (idolatry as adultery) |
Ezekiel 16:24-29 | Describes Jerusalem's harlotry with foreign gods. | Ezek 16:24-29 (idolatry as sexual sin) |
Psalm 106:37-39 | "They sacrificed their sons and daughters to the demons." | Ps 106:37-39 (pagan sacrifices) |
Isaiah 1:10-15 | Condemns sacrifices and festivals filled with wickedness. | Isa 1:10-15 (hypocrisy in worship) |
1 Corinthians 6:18 | "Flee from sexual immorality." | 1 Cor 6:18 (moral purity) |
1 Corinthians 10:14 | "Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry." | 1 Cor 10:14 (fleeing idolatry) |
Romans 1:25 | "They exchanged the truth about God for a lie..." | Rom 1:25 (idolatry and false worship) |
1 John 5:21 | "Children, keep yourselves from idols." | 1 John 5:21 (warning against idols) |
Revelation 18:4 | "Come out of her, my people..." | Rev 18:4 (separation from sin) |
Exodus 20:3-5 | First and second commandments against idolatry. | Ex 20:3-5 (exclusive devotion to God) |
Deuteronomy 4:24 | "For the LORD your God is a consuming fire..." | Deut 4:24 (God's jealous nature) |
Deuteronomy 12:2-3 | Destroy pagan altars and sacred pillars. | Deut 12:2-3 (destroying idolatrous places) |
Leviticus 19:29 | "Do not permit your daughter to prostitute herself..." | Lev 19:29 (protecting against sexual immorality) |
Proverbs 7:24-27 | Warns against the allure of the "foreign woman" (temptress). | Prov 7:24-27 (deception of sin) |
Song of Solomon 6:8 | Praises a special woman, distinct from many others. | Song 6:8 (purity and uniqueness) |
Jeremiah 7:9-11 | God asks if they will steal, murder, and commit adultery, then worship in His house. | Jer 7:9-11 (inconsistency in worship) |
Ezekiel 22:9-12 | Accuses Israel of adultery, theft, and oppression. | Ezek 22:9-12 (sins leading to judgment) |
Amos 4:4-5 | Mocks their offerings and sacrifices from corrupt sources. | Amos 4:4-5 (judgment on faulty worship) |
Acts 15:29 | Abstain from ... sexual immorality. | Acts 15:29 (New Testament council decree) |
Hosea 4 verses
Hosea 4 14 Meaning
This verse describes the negative consequences of the Israelites' harlotry (idolatry and unfaithfulness to God). They are not to frequent places of illicit worship, specifically those dedicated to pagan deities. Doing so will result in further judgment from God, as He will not tolerate their participation in or approval of such practices. It underscores God's jealousy and demand for exclusive devotion from His people.
Hosea 4 14 Context
Hosea is prophesying to the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a period of spiritual and moral decline. The book is characterized by God's judgment on Israel for their persistent idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness, which Hosea is commanded to illustrate through his own marriage to a faithless woman, Gomer. Chapter 4 addresses the widespread corruption, ignorance, and perversion of justice among the priests and the people. The verse specifically highlights the practice of visiting places of pagan worship and its consequences.
Hosea 4 14 Word Analysis
- lochesh (לוֹכֵשׁ) - "one who enchants," "sorceress," or "witch." This refers to someone who uses magical spells or incantations, often associated with pagan practices.
- peretz (פֶּרֶץ) - "breach," "bursting forth," "violation." It signifies a break or transgression of boundaries or established order.
- bat (בַּת) - "daughter." In this context, it can refer literally to daughters or figuratively to the people (like daughters of Israel).
- zonah (זוֹנָה) - "harlot," "prostitute." It signifies sexual immorality but is also used metaphorically for spiritual adultery – unfaithfulness to God and His covenant through idolatry.
- gadal (גָּדַל) - "to grow great," "to become strong," "to prosper." Here, it implies continuing in or perpetuating the sin.
- mahrīt (מְהָרִית) - "to make bitter," "to pollute," "to desecrate." Refers to the desecration of something holy or the spiritual defilement that occurs.
Word Group Analysis
- "I will not punish your daughters when they commit sexual immorality, Nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery." This unusual phrasing indicates God's intent not to exempt the families of the unfaithful from His judgment. The specific mention of "daughters" and "daughters-in-law" could emphasize the familial continuation of sin or, more critically, highlight that the sin (idolatry and associated immoral practices) will not be overlooked. God’s impending judgment is total; He will not show favor even to the next generation of the same families if they persist in the same sins.
- "For the men themselves go aside with harlots And sacrifice with temple prostitutes," This line directly points to the male participation in sexual and idolatrous rituals. "Harlots" and "temple prostitutes" were often linked to pagan fertility cults, where sexual acts were considered acts of worship to ensure agricultural prosperity. This reveals the depth of Israel's apostasy, blending illicit sexual behavior with religious observance. The conjunction "and" links these two actions as part of the same corrupt religious system.
- "Thus a people who lacks understanding are destroyed." This phrase succinctly explains the root cause of their downfall: a lack of understanding of God, His ways, and His covenant. Their spiritual ignorance, fostered by their embrace of paganism and the failure of their leaders, leads directly to their destruction. It highlights that this is not merely an act of divine caprice but a consequence of willful ignorance and disobedience.
Hosea 4 14 Bonus Section
The specific mention of "daughters" and "daughters-in-law" could also echo earlier passages where female impurity brought specific prohibitions and consequences. In Leviticus 19:29, there is a prohibition against making one's daughter a prostitute. By saying He will not punish them when they sin, God implies they are already caught in a cycle of sin that He will now bring to judgment. This highlights the utter pervasiveness of the sin in Israelite society that God must address with severe consequence. The phrase "sacrificing with temple prostitutes" directly alludes to the Canaanite fertility cults where sacred prostitution was a means of appeasing or engaging with deities believed to control the land's fertility. This illustrates the extreme apostasy of Israel, who adopted the very practices they were warned against by God. The concept of lacking "understanding" connects to the responsibilities of the priests mentioned earlier in the chapter who failed to teach the law, contributing to this widespread ignorance.
Hosea 4 14 Commentary
Hosea's message here is a severe warning against participating in or condoning pagan worship practices that involve sexual immorality. God will not allow His people to blend their worship with idolatrous rituals. The phrase "I will not punish your daughters..." carries a solemn implication: their current practices will not be excused. Rather, the "punishment" implied is that they are not being shielded from the ultimate, deserved consequences of their sin. The verse points to the deep entanglement of Israelite society with the sexual and religious rites of surrounding Canaanite religions. Men themselves were involved in both illicit sexual relationships and sacrifices associated with pagan deities, which were often indistinguishable from temple prostitution. The core of their problem is a spiritual blindness, a "lack of understanding," which makes them vulnerable to destruction. This verse functions as a dire prophecy, underscoring that covenant faithfulness demands purity in worship and a rejection of all forms of idolatry. It's a call for the Israelites to separate themselves from the detestable practices that compromise their relationship with their holy God.