Hosea

Hosea 4:6–9

⁶My people are destroyed

for lack of knowledge.

Because you have rejected knowledge,

I will also reject you as My priests.

Since you have forgotten the law of your God,

I will also forget your children.

⁷The more they multiplied,

the more they sinned against Me;

they exchanged their Glory^b

for a thing of disgrace.

⁸They feed on the sins^c of My people

and set their hearts on iniquity.

⁹And it shall be

like people, like priest.

I will punish both of them for their ways

and repay them for their deeds.

Footnotes

b 4:7 Or they exchanged their glorious God (Syriac); MT I will exchange their glory
c 4:8 Or the sin offerings

Read all of Hosea 4

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Hosea 4:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
My people	עַמִּ֖י	‘am·mî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H5971 people
are destroyed	נִדְמ֥וּ	niḏ·mū	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1820 cease, cause to cease, cut off, destroy
for lack	מִבְּלִ֣י	mib·bə·lî	Preposition-m; Adverb	H1097 wearing out
of knowledge	הַדָּ֑עַת	had·dā·‘aṯ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H1847 knowledge
Because	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
you	אַתָּ֞ה	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
have rejected	מָאַ֗סְתָּ	mā·’as·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H3988 reject
knowledge	הַדַּ֣עַת	had·da·‘aṯ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H1847 knowledge
I will also reject you	וְאֶמְאָֽסְאךָ֙	wə·’em·’ā·sə·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular; second person masculine singular	H3988 reject
as My priests	מִכַּהֵ֣ן	mik·ka·hên	Preposition-m; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H3547 act as priest
Since you have forgotten	וַתִּשְׁכַּח֙	wat·tiš·kaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7911 forget
the law	תּוֹרַ֣ת	tō·w·raṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H8451 direction, instruction, law
of your God	אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ	’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H430 God
I	אָֽנִי׃	’ā·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
will also	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
forget	אֶשְׁכַּ֥ח	’eš·kaḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H7911 forget
your children	בָּנֶ֖יךָ	bā·ne·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H1121 son

Hosea 4:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The more they multiplied	כְּרֻבָּ֖ם	kə·rub·bām	Preposition-k; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine plural	H7235 be, or become, much, many, great
the more they sinned	חָֽטְאוּ־	ḥā·ṭə·’ū-	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2398 miss
against Me	לִ֑י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
they exchanged	אָמִֽיר׃	’ā·mîr	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular	H4171 change
their Glory	כְּבוֹדָ֖ם	kə·ḇō·w·ḏām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3519 abundance, honour, glory
for a thing of disgrace	בְּקָל֥וֹן	bə·qā·lō·wn	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H7036 ignominy, dishonour

Hosea 4:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They feed on	יֹאכֵ֑לוּ	yō·ḵê·lū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H398 eat
the sins	חַטַּ֥את	ḥaṭ·ṭaṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H2403 offence, penalty, occasion
of My people	עַמִּ֖י	‘am·mî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H5971 people
and set	יִשְׂא֥וּ	yiś·’ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5375 lift, take, carry
their hearts	נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃	nap̄·šōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
on	וְאֶל־	wə·’el-	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H413 motion to
iniquity	עֲוֺנָ֖ם	‘ă·wō·nām	Noun - common singular construct; third person masculine plural	H5771 iniquity, guilt, or punishment of iniquity

Hosea 4:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And it shall be	וְהָיָ֥ה	wə·hā·yāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
like people	כָעָ֖ם	ḵā·‘ām	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
like priest	כַּכֹּהֵ֑ן	kak·kō·hên	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3548 priest
I will punish	וּפָקַדְתִּ֤י	ū·p̄ā·qaḏ·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H6485 attend to, visit, muster, appoint
both of them	עָלָיו֙	‘ā·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5921 height
for their ways	דְּרָכָ֔יו	də·rā·ḵāw	Noun - common plural construct; third person masculine singular	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
and repay	אָשִׁ֥יב	’ā·šîḇ	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular	H7725 turn back, return
them	לֽוֹ׃	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
for their deeds	וּמַעֲלָלָ֖יו	ū·ma·‘ă·lā·lāw	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H4611 deed, practice