Hosea 9:4 kjv
They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.
Hosea 9:4 nkjv
They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, Nor shall their sacrifices be pleasing to Him. It shall be like bread of mourners to them; All who eat it shall be defiled. For their bread shall be for their own life; It shall not come into the house of the LORD.
Hosea 9:4 niv
They will not pour out wine offerings to the LORD, nor will their sacrifices please him. Such sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat them will be unclean. This food will be for themselves; it will not come into the temple of the LORD.
Hosea 9:4 esv
They shall not pour drink offerings of wine to the LORD, and their sacrifices shall not please him. It shall be like mourners' bread to them; all who eat of it shall be defiled; for their bread shall be for their hunger only; it shall not come to the house of the LORD.
Hosea 9:4 nlt
There you will make no offerings of wine to the LORD.
None of your sacrifices there will please him.
They will be unclean, like food touched by a person in mourning.
All who present such sacrifices will be defiled.
They may eat this food themselves,
but they may not offer it to the LORD.
Hosea 9 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hosea 9:4 | They shall not pour drink offerings to the Lord, nor be pleasing to Him. | Old Testament |
| Isaiah 1:11 | "What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices," says the Lord. | Rejection of superficial worship |
| Jeremiah 7:21-23 | Though you offer sacrifice, I will not accept it. | Emphasis on obedience |
| Amos 5:21 | I hate, I despise your religious festivals. | Condemnation of insincere worship |
| 1 Samuel 15:22 | To obey is better than sacrifice. | Prioritizing obedience |
| Psalm 40:6 | Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but you have given me an open ear. | Preference for willing heart |
| Matthew 9:13 | "Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.'" | Jesus quotes Hosea |
| John 4:24 | God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. | Nature of true worship |
| Romans 12:1 | Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. | New Testament sacrifice |
| Hebrews 10:4 | For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. | Limitations of Old Testament sacrifices |
| Hebrews 13:15 | Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise. | Continual praise as sacrifice |
| Revelation 13:8 | The names of all who were not found written in the book of life. | Divine acceptance |
| Hosea 1:11 | No longer shall the people of Judah and the people of Israel be joined together. | National consequence |
| Isaiah 6:7 | And he touched my mouth and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips." | Consecration/Acceptance |
| Ezekiel 20:41 | I will accept you as a pleasing aroma. | Divine acceptance |
| Amos 4:4 | Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression! | False places of worship |
| Micah 6:6-8 | What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? | True worship elements |
| Luke 11:42 | But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God. | Hypocritical worship |
| Acts 10:34 | Truly I understand that God shows no partiality. | Inclusivity of God's grace |
| Romans 15:16 | So that in Christ Jesus the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable. | Gentiles as acceptable offering |
| 1 Peter 2:5 | you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house. | Spiritual temple |
| Hosea 5:11 | Because Ephraim is guilty of fixed commitment to idolatry, therefore I will smite them. | Reason for divine displeasure |
Hosea 9 verses
Hosea 9 4 Meaning
This verse speaks of the rejection of sacrificial offerings by God due to the sin of the people. The joyful festivals and harvest celebrations associated with these offerings are described as over. This signifies a loss of divine favor and the end of accustomed religious practices.
Hosea 9 4 Context
Hosea chapter 9 addresses the impending judgment upon the Northern Kingdom of Israel (also called Ephraim). The people are deeply entangled in idolatry and spiritual harlotry, turning away from the LORD their God. Despite periods of prosperity and apparent religious activity, their worship is seen as hollow and offensive to God because it is not accompanied by true faithfulness and obedience. This verse specifically highlights that God will not accept their offerings, signaling a complete severance of their covenant relationship due to their persistent sin. The consequences are dire: exile, desolation, and a lack of communal worship.
Hosea 9 4 Word Analysis
- לֹא (lo) - "Not" (negative particle). This is a strong negation indicating absolute absence or prohibition.
- יְרִיקוּ (yeriku) - "shall pour" (Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural from root רוק, "to pour out"). Specifically refers to the libations or drink offerings, which were integral parts of Israelite sacrificial worship (Exodus 29:40; Numbers 15:5).
- לַיהוָה ( Yahweh ) - "to the LORD." The personal name of God, emphasizing the covenant relationship being broken.
- נְסָכִים (nesachim) - "drink offerings" (plural of נֶסֶךְ, nesek). These were usually wine poured out on the altar, symbolizing joy and fellowship with God (Numbers 28:7).
- וְלֹא (v'lo) - "and not." Another negation, reinforcing the total rejection.
- יֶעַרְבוּ (ye'arvu) - "shall be pleasing" or "shall be acceptable" (Hiphil imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural from root ערב, "to be sweet, pleasant, acceptable"). The offerings would not be delightful or acceptable to God.
- לֹו (lo) - "to Him." Refers back to Yahweh, the LORD.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "They shall not pour drink offerings to the LORD": This group of words directly conveys God's rejection of Israel's physical act of worship. The drink offerings, typically accompanied by animal sacrifices, were meant to express devotion and seek God's favor. The prophet states these sacred rituals would cease being effective, not because of any fault in the ritual itself, but in the heart of the offerer.
- "nor be pleasing to Him": This phrase extends the rejection from the act of offering to the disposition behind it. The spiritual state of the people rendered their physical acts meaningless and even offensive to God. The concept of being "pleasing" implies an aroma or satisfaction that God seeks, which was absent.
Hosea 9 4 Bonus Section
The cessation of drink offerings also symbolized a loss of joy and celebration associated with the covenant. These libations were often part of harvest festivals, a time of thanksgiving and rejoicing in God's provision. By rejecting these, God indicated that Israel would be deprived of these communal blessings and that their former celebrations would cease to bring them divine favor. The passage reflects a recurring theme in the prophets where a breach of covenant leads to the forfeiture of God's protective presence and the cessation of divinely appointed religious expressions. The inability to offer acceptable sacrifices pointed towards a profound disconnect from God's presence and anticipated exile.
Hosea 9 4 Commentary
Hosea declares a catastrophic spiritual setback for Israel. Their traditional offerings, the very means by which they sought to connect with and appease Yahweh, would be rendered useless. This isn't because God had changed His mind about sacrifice in principle, but because Israel's heart was far from Him. Their participation in worship was divorced from true repentance and loyalty, becoming a ritualistic emptiness that God despised. The prophet’s words underscore a fundamental theological truth: outward religious observance is valueless without an inward transformed heart. True worship must be rooted in faith and obedience; otherwise, the offerings are rejected, and fellowship is broken. God’s holiness cannot tolerate persistent disobedience disguised as piety.