Hosea 4 2

Hosea 4:2 kjv

By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

Hosea 4:2 nkjv

By swearing and lying, Killing and stealing and committing adultery, They break all restraint, With bloodshed upon bloodshed.

Hosea 4:2 niv

There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.

Hosea 4:2 esv

there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.

Hosea 4:2 nlt

You make vows and break them;
you kill and steal and commit adultery.
There is violence everywhere ?
one murder after another.

Hosea 4 verses

Hosea 4 2 Meaning

The verse describes a situation of spiritual decay and societal breakdown, where fundamental truths are neglected and replaced by falsehoods, leading to consequences of divine judgment and personal suffering. It highlights the pervasive impact of sin on relationships, justice, and the nation as a whole.

Hosea 4 2 Context

Hosea 4:2 is part of a broader prophecy directed at the northern kingdom of Israel. The chapter details Israel's deep-seated corruption, marked by rampant falsehood, violence, adultery, and idolatry. This spiritual infidelity is seen as a betrayal of God's covenant. The verse specifically points to the consequences of breaking oaths, shedding innocent blood, and engaging in adultery, which result in a lamenting land and national suffering. The historical context is one of moral decline and increasing political instability, foreshadowing the impending judgment and exile of the nation. The prophetic message underscores God's demand for righteousness and fidelity in His covenant people.

Hosea 4 2 Word Analysis

• וּבַשְּׁבֻעַ (u·va·shə·ḇu‘a)

  • u- (וּ): Conjunction, meaning "and".
  • ḇa- (בַּ): Preposition bə (בְּ) "in, with" combined with the definite article ha- (הַ).
  • šə·ḇu‘a (שְּׁבֻעַ): Noun, meaning "oath," "swear," "curse." Here it refers to the breaking of oaths.

• יִרְצָחוּ (yir·ṣā·ḥū)

  • yir- (יִרְ): Prefix indicating the third person masculine plural imperfect tense.
  • ṣā·ḥū (צָחוּ): Root verb ra·ḥaṣ (רצח), meaning "to murder," "to kill," "to shed blood."

• וּבַנָּאַף (u·ḇan·’āp̄)

  • u- (וּ): Conjunction, "and."
  • ḇan- (בַּנָּ): Preposition bə (בְּ) "in, with" combined with the definite article ha- (הַ) and prefixed with nun (נ) for euphony.
  • ’āp̄ (’ָאָ): Noun, meaning "adultery," "unchastity."

• וּבִשְׁתּוֹת (u·ḇiš·tō·ṯ)

  • u- (וּ): Conjunction, "and."
  • ḇiš·tō·ṯ (בִּשְׁתּוֹת): Root verb šā·ṯâ (שתה) often related to drinking, but in context with other sins, possibly implies "drinking deeply" of sin, or engaging in forbidden acts (similar to drinking illicitly or perversely). Can also refer to plotting or laying snares.

• וּמְגַלְּצִים (u·mə·ḡal·lê·ṣim)

  • u- (וּ): Conjunction, "and."
  • mə·ḡal·lê·ṣim (מְגַלְּצִים): Participle of the Piel verb gā·laṣ (גלץ). The precise meaning in this context is debated. It may relate to:
    • "Cutting off," "mutilating," possibly referring to idolatrous practices or self-inflicted wounds in worship.
    • "Rushing," "flitting," indicating haste in committing sin or chasing after illicit lovers.
    • "Striking," as in striking a pact or a blow in violence.
    • A form of shedding blood or performing rituals associated with it.

• וְרַבּוּ (wə·rabbū)

  • wə- (וְ): Conjunction, "and."
  • rabbū (רַבּוּ): Root verb rā·ḇâ (רבה), meaning "to be or become many," "to increase," "to be abundant." Indicates an abundance of sin or the spread of its effects.

• דָּמִים (dā·mîm)

  • dā·mîm (דָּמִים): Noun, plural of dām (דָּם), meaning "blood." The plural can refer to bloodshed, violent deaths, or the stain of sin that cries out.

• אֶל־דָּמִים (’el-dā·mîm)

  • ’el- (’ֶל): Preposition, "to," "unto," "toward."
  • dā·mîm (דָּמִים): "blood." Suggests blood reaching unto blood, or one act of bloodshed leading to another, indicating a cycle of violence.

• בָּאָה (bā·’â)

  • bā·’â (בָּאָה): Verb, third person feminine singular perfect tense of bō’ (בא), meaning "to come," "to enter." Here, it refers to the land mourning or a state of affliction arriving.

• לֹעֶטֶת (lə·‘ō·ḡê·ṯêṯ)

  • lə- (לְ): Preposition, "to," "for," "unto."
  • ‘ō·ḡê·ṯêṯ (’ֹעֶטֶת): Niphal participle of ‘ā·ḡaḥ (’עגח), meaning "to oppress," "to mourn," "to afflict." Refers to the land's suffering.

• וְרָזּוּ (wə·răz·zū)

  • wə- (וְ): Conjunction, "and."
  • răz·zū (רָזּוּ): Root verb rā·zâ (רזז), meaning "to become lean," "to be weak," "to waste away." Denotes physical decline and weakening due to sin and judgment.

• כֹּל־הַיֹּשֵׁב (kōl-hay·yō·šêḇ)

  • kōl- (כֹּל): Pronoun, "all," "every."
  • hay·yō·šêḇ (הַיּוֹשֵׁב): Preposition ha- (הַ) "the" and the Niphal participle yō·šêḇ (יֹשֵׁב) from the root yā·šāḇ (ישב), meaning "to dwell," "to sit." Refers to all inhabitants.

• בָּהּ (bāh)

  • bāh (בָּהּ): Preposition bə (בְּ) "in" combined with the third person feminine singular suffix hā- (הּ), "it" (referring to the land).

• וְגַם־ (wə·ḡam-)

  • wə- (וְ): Conjunction, "and."
  • ḡam- (גַּם): Adverb, "also," "even."

• שָׂדֶה (śā·ḏeh)

  • śā·ḏeh (שָׂדֶה): Noun, meaning "field," "countryside," often representing sustenance and provision.

• מֵהוּבֶן (mē·hū·ḇæn)

  • mē- (מֵ): Preposition, "from."
  • hū·ḇæn (הוּבֶן): Passive participle from bā·nâ (בנה), meaning "to build." Likely refers to built-up places, or perhaps cultivated fields in contrast to wilderness. Could also suggest the "foundation" of something. In some interpretations, this refers to a cultic site or even fertility.

• נֶעֱזָב (ne·‘ə·zāḇ)

  • ne·‘ə·zāḇ (נֶעֱזָב): Niphal passive participle of ‘ā·zāḇ (עזב), meaning "to forsake," "to abandon." Implies that the fields or inhabited places are forsaken or neglected due to sin.

Word-group analysis:

• "They break out; blood touches blood": This phrase captures a progression of sin. "Break out" could signify a breaking of vows, covenants, or a burgeoning of rampant sin. "Blood touches blood" depicts a continuous cycle of violence and bloodshed, where one death leads to another, signifying utter lawlessness.
• "By swearing; and killing; and committing adultery": This lists core transgressions against God's law – profaning His name through false oaths (Deuteronomy 5:11), violating the commandment against murder (Exodus 20:13), and breaking the seventh commandment (Exodus 20:14).
• "they break out" (verb forms related to profaning/bloodshed): This suggests a transgression or defilement, highlighting the sanctity being violated.
• "the land mourns; every one that dwells therein shall languish": This illustrates the national consequence. The land itself seems to react to sin, reflecting the desolation caused. The inhabitants suffer physically and spiritually, becoming weak and wasting away.
• "and even the field of the husbandman is forsaken": This shows the economic and societal impact. Productivity ceases, the source of sustenance is abandoned because the people are consumed by sin and its repercussions.

Hosea 4 2 Bonus Section

The Hebrew word translated as "break out" (or "profane" depending on translation context) for swearing is closely related to the root meaning "to tread upon" or "to trample," implying a contemptuous disregard and defilement of sacred things. The unusual verb gā·laṣ (גלץ) is rare and its precise meaning here is debated among scholars, adding a layer of complexity to the understanding of the exact nature of the sins committed, but it points towards something offensive and damaging. The emphasis on "blood touches blood" is a vivid idiom for uninterrupted bloodshed, suggesting a total breakdown of law and order, potentially stemming from disputes over property, revenge killings, or ritualistic violence associated with false worship. The collective "lamenting" of the land personifies nature’s response to egregious sin, a theme seen elsewhere in Scripture (e.g., Genesis 3:17-18 regarding the curse on the ground). The consequence of "forsaken fields" speaks to the agricultural economy collapsing under the weight of sin, leading to famine and further distress.

Hosea 4 2 Commentary

Hosea 4:2 powerfully depicts the consequence of Israel's pervasive sinfulness. The "breaking out" refers to the unravelling of societal order and moral restraints. The specific sins enumerated – false swearing, murder, and adultery – are foundational transgressions against God’s covenant and law. The resulting cycle of violence ("blood touches blood") highlights the devastating impact on justice and human life. This corruption extends beyond personal actions, affecting the entire land, which is described as "mourning" and its people "languishing" or wasting away. Even the livelihoods of farmers are disrupted, symbolizing widespread desolation. The verse underscores a divine principle: sin corrupts individuals, disintegrates society, and incurs God’s judgment, leading to ruin and decay. The passage implies that such deep-seated sinfulness renders the land itself unable to sustain its inhabitants as God intended.