Hosea 4:6 kjv
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Hosea 4:6 nkjv
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
Hosea 4:6 niv
my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.
Hosea 4:6 esv
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
Hosea 4:6 nlt
My people are being destroyed
because they don't know me.
Since you priests refuse to know me,
I refuse to recognize you as my priests.
Since you have forgotten the laws of your God,
I will forget to bless your children.
Hosea 4 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hosea 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you reject knowledge, I reject you... | Hosea 4:6 |
| Proverbs 1:7 | The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. | Proverbs 1:7 |
| Proverbs 9:10 | The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. | Proverbs 9:10 |
| Jeremiah 4:22 | For my people are foolish, they do not know me; they are stupid children who have no understanding. They are sick with evil, but they do not know how to do good. | Jeremiah 4:22 |
| Isaiah 5:13 | Therefore my people have gone into exile for lack of prudence; their glory is starved, and their multitude is dried up with thirst. | Isaiah 5:13 |
| John 8:32 | Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. | John 8:32 |
| 2 Timothy 2:15 | Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. | 2 Timothy 2:15 |
| 2 Peter 3:18 | But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. | 2 Peter 3:18 |
| Philippians 1:9 | And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and every kind of discernment. | Philippians 1:9 |
| Romans 1:28 | Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do things that are improper. | Romans 1:28 |
| 1 Corinthians 1:18 | For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. | 1 Corinthians 1:18 |
| 1 Corinthians 8:1 | Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: We know that "We all possess knowledge." But knowledge puffs up, while love builds up. | 1 Corinthians 8:1 |
| Hebrews 8:11 | No longer will they teach their neighbor, or each one say to another, "Know the LORD," because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. | Hebrews 8:11 |
| Joshua 24:24 | Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD to serve him." They said, "We are witnesses." | Joshua 24:24 |
| 2 Kings 17:33 | They feared the LORD, but they did not serve him; they worshiped their own gods according to the practices of the nations from which they had been carried. | 2 Kings 17:33 |
| Acts 17:23 | For as I walked along and thought about the things you worship, I found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you too, unknowingly, worship him. I am going to proclaim him to you. | Acts 17:23 |
| 1 John 2:3 | We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. | 1 John 2:3 |
| Psalm 119:99 | I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your statutes are my meditation. | Psalm 119:99 |
| Psalm 119:105 | Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. | Psalm 119:105 |
| Matthew 7:21 | Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of the heavens, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. | Matthew 7:21 |
Hosea 4 verses
Hosea 4 6 Meaning
The verse states that the people are destroyed due to a lack of knowledge. This implies that their spiritual ignorance and rebellion against God led to their downfall and the severe consequences they faced. It highlights the critical importance of knowing God and His ways.
Hosea 4 6 Context
Hosea prophesies to the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a time of political instability and religious apostasy. The people have turned away from God, embracing idolatry and practicing immoral behaviors, all while claiming to worship the LORD. This chapter details the widespread corruption and unfaithfulness prevalent in Israel, affecting priests and the common people alike. Verse 6 serves as a central reason for the impending judgment, underscoring the disastrous consequences of spiritual blindness and a deliberate turning away from divine truth.
Hosea 4 6 Word Analysis
'Am (עַם): People. This refers to the covenant people of Israel.
nikh·lāh (נִכְחַד): Cut off, annihilated, destroyed. Emphasizes complete ruin.
bǝ·‘āl’ (בְּעַל): Because of, for. Indicates the cause.
dā‘at (דַּעַת): Knowledge. This isn't just intellectual information but relational, experiential knowledge of God and His ways.
ki·mā’ōs (כִּי־מָאַסְתָּ): Because you have rejected. Implies a willful refusal or abhorrence.
dā‘at (דָּעַת): Knowledge. Same word as above, highlighting the specific knowledge rejected.
’ā’ōs (אַ־מָא) 'ē∙ma): Reject. The active discarding of something valuable.
’ē⚫mås (וְאַנִ • ( 'ā)ō·sẹk : And I shall reject you. Divine response of reciprocation.
kā•hōn (כְּהוּ ( ‘• huna han)e ( ka ) : To be a priest. Highlights rejection from their priestly duties and relationship with God.
Words Group Analysis:
- "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge": This is the consequence of ignorance. The destruction is not random but directly tied to their failure to know God.
- "because you reject knowledge": This shifts the blame from mere ignorance to willful rejection, implying a conscious decision against understanding and obeying God.
- "I reject you": This is God's direct response to their rejection of Him and His ways, signifying a severing of their covenant relationship.
- "because you reject the knowledge of the law of your God": This clarifies that the specific knowledge rejected is the understanding and application of God's revealed will.
Hosea 4 6 Bonus Section
The "knowledge" here (Hebrew: da'at) refers to a deep, experiential knowing, not just academic facts. It's the kind of knowledge that affects behavior and establishes relationship, akin to a husband knowing his wife (Genesis 4:1). Israel’s failure was not a lack of information but a lack of responsive heart and obedience. The rejection is described with the same root word, creating a powerful parallel: just as they rejected the knowledge God offered, God would reject them from their covenant relationship. This theme of willful ignorance leading to rejection is echoed in the New Testament, where those who reject Jesus also forfeit salvation. The loss of priestly function in the last clause emphasizes their complete disqualification from divine service due to their unfaithfulness.
Hosea 4 6 Commentary
The people of Israel faced devastation because they abandoned genuine knowledge of God. This ignorance was not accidental but a willful discarding of His truth and commands. As a result, God declared that He would reject them, meaning He would cast them away from His presence and favor. Their rejection of the "knowledge of the law of your God" meant they turned from the divine standard for living, leading to moral and spiritual decay, and ultimately, their downfall. This verse starkly illustrates that a relational understanding of God and His word is vital for the well-being of individuals and nations. The consequence for rejecting God's truth is reciprocal rejection from God Himself, stripping them of their rightful place and privilege.