Hosea 4:1
in Hosea 4Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land!
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Hear the word of Jehovah, ye children of Israel; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.
KJV
Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
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This verse in Hosea 4
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel - The prophet begins here, in a series of pictures as it were, to exhibit the people of Israel to themselves, that they might know that God did not do without cause all this which He denounced against them. Here, at the outset, He summons, the whole people, their prophets and priests, before the judgment seat of God, where God would condescend, Himself to implead them, and hear, if they had ought in their defense.
This site's exposition
Hear the word of the Lord
on Hosea 4:1-3
The book turns from Gomer's household to the whole land with a lawsuit form, a controversy the Lord brings against Israel for the absence of truth, mercy and the knowledge of God. Swearing, lying, killing, stealing and adultery break out until blood toucheth blood, one sin overtaking another the way flood water rises, and the commentators read the list as the second table of the commandments broken in order. The land itself mourns and the beasts, birds and fish are taken away, creation drawn into the covenant's collapse the way Genesis ties the ground to Adam's fall.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Hear the word of the Lord, sons of Israel; for judgment is for the Lord with the inhabitants of the earth: for there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. Cursed, and lying, and murder, and theft, and adultery have overflowed: and blood has touched blood." LXX: "Hear the word of the Lord, sons of Israel; for judgment is for the Lord with the inhabitants of the earth: for there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God over the earth.
The Reformation1 voice
Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The Lord hath a controversy - ריב rib, what we should call a lawsuit, in which God is plaintiff, and the Israelites defendants. It is Jehovah versus Israel and Judah. But when has God a controversy with any land? - Answer. When there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. These refer to the minds of the people. But wherever these righteous principles are wanting, there will soon be a vicious practice; hence it is added,
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שִׁמְע֥וּ | shimu | hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| דְבַר־ | devar- | [the] word of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | O people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| רִ֤יב | riv | a case at law | H7379 → | |
| לַֽיהוָה֙ | layahweh | [belongs] to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י | yoshevei | [the] inhabitants of | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| הָאָ֔רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| כִּ֠י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֵין־ | ʾein- | there not | H369 → | 789 times |
| אֱמֶ֧ת | ʾemet | [is] faithfulness | H571 → | |
| וְֽאֵין־ | veein- | and there not | H369 → | 789 times |
| חֶ֛סֶד | chesed | [is] covenant loyalty | H2617 → | 247 times |
| וְאֵֽין־ | veein- | and there not | H369 → | 789 times |
| דַּ֥עַת | daat | [is] knowledge of | H1847 → | 92 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֖ים | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ | baaretz | in the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
שִׁמְע֥וּhear
shimuH8085 →1159 times
דְבַר־[the] word of
devar-H1697 →1440 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בְּנֵ֣יO people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
רִ֤יבa case at law
rivH7379 →
לַֽיהוָה֙[belongs] to Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י[the] inhabitants of
yosheveiH3427 →1079 times
הָאָ֔רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
כִּ֠יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֵין־there not
ʾein-H369 →789 times
אֱמֶ֧ת[is] faithfulness
ʾemetH571 →
וְֽאֵין־and there not
veein-H369 →789 times
חֶ֛סֶד[is] covenant loyalty
chesedH2617 →247 times
וְאֵֽין־and there not
veein-H369 →789 times
דַּ֥עַת[is] knowledge of
daatH1847 →92 times
אֱלֹהִ֖יםGod
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
בָּאָֽרֶץ׃in the land
baaretzH776 →2504 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 4:22“For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”
it leads to
- Hosea 4:6
My 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…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Corinthians 14:20
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
- Romans 16:19
Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.
- Jeremiah 5:21
“Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.
- Romans 3:11
There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
- Hosea 4:6
Through
1 Corinthians 15:34Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 6:5
I say this to your shame. Is there really no one among you wise enough to arbitrate between his brothers?
- Hebrews 5:11–12
We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain, because you are dull of hearing.
- Romans 13:11
And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
- 1 Corinthians 6:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Hosea
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Twelve Minor Prophets; Jerome, Commentary on Hosea 4:1-2; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.