You can skip to local navigation, content or closing (global) navigation.

Geneva Bible Notes (1560): Hosea 4

1 ! A complaint against the people, and the Priests of Israel.

1 a Because the people wolde not obey the admonitions of the Prophet, he citeth them before the judgement seat of God, against whome they chiefly offended, {Isa. 7, 12}, {zecha. 12, 10}.

2 b In euerie place appeareth a libertie to moste heinous vices, so that one followeth in the necke of another.

4 c As thogh he wolde say, that it were in vaine to rebuke them: for no man can abide it: yea, they wil speake against the Prophetes and Priests whose office it is chiefly to rebuke them.

5 d Ye shal perish all together: the one, because he wolde not obeie, & the other because he wolde not admonish.

5 e That is, the Synagogue wherein thou boastest.

6 g Meaning, the whole bodie of the people, which were wearie with hearing the worde of God.

6 f That is, the Priests shalbe cast of because, that for lacke of knowledge, they are not able to execute their charge, and instruct others, {Deu 33, 3}, {malach. 2, 7}.

8 i To wit, the Priests seke to eat the peoples offrings & flatter them in their sinnes.

9 k Signifying, that as they haue sinned together, so shal they be punished together.

10 l Shewing, that their wickednes shalbe punished on all sortes: for thogh they thinke by the multitude of wiues to haue many children, yet they shalbe deceiued of their hope.

11 m In giuing them selues to pleasure, thei become like brute beasts.

12 n Thus he speaketh by derision in calling them his people, which now for their sinnes they were not: for they soght helpe of stockes and stickes.

12 o The are caried away with a rage.

13 p I wil not correct your shame to bring you to amendement, but let you runne headlong to your owne damnation.

15 r God complaineth that Judah is infected, and willeth them to learne by their example to returne in time.

15 s For albeit the Lord had honored this place in time past by his presence, yet because it was abused by their idolatrie, he wolde not that his people shulde resort thether.

15 t He calleth Beth-el, that is, the house of God, Beth-auen, that is, the house of iniquitie, because of their abominations set vp there, signifying that no place is holie where God is not purely worshipped.

16 u God wil so disperse them that they shal not remaine in anie certeine place.

18 x They are so impudent in receiuing bribes, that they wil commande men to bring them vnto them.