---
title: "Bullinger"
description: "the Lord. Hebrew.  Jehovah . App-4 .   children = sons.  a controversy = a judicial inquiry and cause. Compare Hosea 12:2 .Isaiah 1:18 , and Isaiah 3:13"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/bullingers-companion-bible-notes/hosea/4"
---

**the Lord.** Hebrew. *Jehovah* . App-4 .
****
**children** = sons.
**a controversy** = a judicial inquiry and cause. Compare [Hosea 12:2](../../../kjv/hosea/12/2) .[Isaiah 1:18](../../../kjv/isaiah/1/18) , and [Isaiah 3:13](../../../kjv/isaiah/3/13) , [Isaiah 3:14](../../../kjv/isaiah/3/14) .[Jeremiah 25:31](../../../kjv/jeremiah/25/31) .[Micah 6:2](../../../kjv/micah/6/2) .
**mercy** = lovingkindness, or grace.
**knowledge:** or, acknowledgement. See note on [Hosea 2:20](../../../kjv/hosea/2/20) . Compare [Hosea 4:6](../../../kjv/hosea/4/6) ; [Hosea 5:4](../../../kjv/hosea/5/4) .

**By swearing, &c.** These are the evils which flow from a want of the knowledge of God. Compare [Hosea 4:6](../../../kjv/hosea/4/6) ; [Hosea 2:20](../../../kjv/hosea/2/20) . Rom 1:21 . [1 John 2:3](../../../kjv/1-john/2/3) , 1Jn 2:4 ; [1 John 4:7](../../../kjv/1-john/4/7) , [1 John 4:8](../../../kjv/1-john/4/8) .
**blood toucheth blood:** or, murder follows murder; "blood" being put by Figure of speech *Synecdoche* (of Species), App-6 , for bloodshed.

**Therefore shall the land mourn.** Compare [Jeremiah 4:28](../../../kjv/jeremiah/4/28) , and [Jeremiah 12:4](../../../kjv/jeremiah/12/4) .[Amos 5:16](../../../kjv/amos/5/16) , and [Amos 8:8](../../../kjv/amos/8/8) .
**the beasts** = the very beasts ( *Beth essentioe).*
**be taken away** = be gathered [into the ranks of the mourners].

**let no man.** The reason being given in [Hosea 4:4](../../../kjv/hosea/4/4) .
**they that strive with the priest.** Reference to Pentateuch ([Numbers 16:1](../../../kjv/numbers/16/1) , &c. [Deuteronomy 17:12](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/17/12) ). App-92 .

**fall** = stumble.
**in the day.** Compare [Jeremiah 6:4](../../../kjv/jeremiah/6/4) , [Jeremiah 6:5](../../../kjv/jeremiah/6/5) and Hos 15:8 .
**destroy** = lay prostrate.
**thy mother:** i. e. the whole nation is referred to, as is clear from verses: [Hosea 4:4](../../../kjv/hosea/4/4) , [Hosea 4:3](../../../kjv/hosea/4/3) , &o.; [Hosea 2:3](../../../kjv/hosea/2/3) , [Hosea 2:9](../../../kjv/hosea/2/9) , [Hosea 2:12](../../../kjv/hosea/2/12) .

**People are.** Not "is", because the noun though singular is collective, with plural verb.
**lack of knowledge.** See note on [Hosea 2:20](../../../kjv/hosea/2/20) .
**knowledge** = the knowledge [of Me].
**thou hast forgotten.** Reference to Pentateuch ([Deuteronomy 32:18](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/32/18) ).

**sinned.** Hebrew chata'. App-44 .
**therefore will I change their glory into shame.** The *Sopherim* confess ( App-33 ) that they altered thus the primitive Hebrew text: which read "My glory have they changed into shame": i. e. they altered the verb *hemiru* (they have changed) to *'amir* (I shall change); and, *kebodi* (My glory) to *kebodam* (their glory). This alteration was made from a mistaken reverence. It will be seen that the word "therefore" is not required.

**eat up the sin** = the sin-offering. Reference to Pentateuch ([Leviticus 6:30](../../../kjv/leviticus/6/30) ): i. e. those sin-offerings which should have been wholly burnt, and not eaten. See notes on [Leviticus 6:26](../../../kjv/leviticus/6/26) , [Leviticus 6:30](../../../kjv/leviticus/6/30) . App-92 .
**Set their heart** = lift up their soul: i. e. desire. Hebrew. *nephesh.* App-13 .
**iniquity** = wrong-doing.

**like people, &c.** Compare [Isaiah 24:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/24/2) .[Jeremiah 5:31](../../../kjv/jeremiah/5/31) .
**punish** = visit.
**reward** = requite.

**not have enough.** Reference to Pentateuch ([Leviticus 26:26](../../../kjv/leviticus/26/26) ). The same words. App-92 .
**shall commit** = have committed.
**whoredom** = idolatry. See note on [Hosea 1:2](../../../kjv/hosea/1/2) .
**the LORD.** Hebrew. *Jehovah.* (with ' *eth)* = Jehovah Himself. App-4 .

**wine.** Hebrew. *yayin.* App-27 .
**new wine.** Hebrew. *tirosh.* App-27 .
**heart.** Put by Figure of speech *Metonymy* (of Adjunct), App-6 , for understanding. See [Isaiah 28:6](../../../kjv/isaiah/28/6) .

**ask counsel** = inquire of (habitually). Compare [Jeremiah 2:27](../../../kjv/jeremiah/2/27) . [Habakkuk 2:19](../../../kjv/habakkuk/2/19) .
**stocks** = idols made of wood.
**staff, &c.** Referring to divination by rods.
**spirit.** Hebrew. *ruach.* App-9 . Compare [Hosea 5:4](../../../kjv/hosea/5/4) .[Isaiah 44:20](../../../kjv/isaiah/44/20) .
**gone a whoring:** i. e. gone away into idolatry. Compare [Ezekiel 23:5](../../../kjv/ezekiel/23/5) .
**from under** = from under [the authority] of, &c, as Gomer had left Hosea. Compare [Numbers 5:19](../../../kjv/numbers/5/19) , [Numbers 5:29](../../../kjv/numbers/5/29) . [Ezekiel 23:5](../../../kjv/ezekiel/23/5) .

**They sacrifice, &c.** Compare [Isaiah 1:29](../../../kjv/isaiah/1/29) , and [Isaiah 57:5](../../../kjv/isaiah/57/5) , [Isaiah 57:7](../../../kjv/isaiah/57/7) . [Ezekiel 6:13](../../../kjv/ezekiel/6/13) , and [Ezekiel 20:28](../../../kjv/ezekiel/20/28) . Reference to Pentateuch ([Deuteronomy 12:2](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/12/2) ).

**daughters:** who became Temple-women. See next verse.
**themselves** = [the men] themselves.
**separated** = secluded.
**harlots.** Hebrew. *kedeshah =* the Temple-women, consecrated to the unclean "worship" of the Canaanites, by which the foulest corruption became a holy duty. Reference to Pentateuch. Found only here and [Genesis 38:21](../../../kjv/genesis/38/21) , [Genesis 38:22](../../../kjv/genesis/38/22) , and [Deuteronomy 23:17](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/23/17) . App-92 .

**harlot** = wanton. Not the same word as in [Hosea 4:14](../../../kjv/hosea/4/14) , though the symbol is similar.
**Judah.** Compare [Hosea 1:7](../../../kjv/hosea/1/7) .
**Gilgal.** Jeroboam had erected an idolatrous temple there. See [Hosea 9:15](../../../kjv/hosea/9/15) ; [Hosea 12:11](../../../kjv/hosea/12/11) .[Amos 4:4](../../../kjv/amos/4/4) ; [Amos 5:5](../../../kjv/amos/5/5) . Compare [Judges 3:19](../../../kjv/judges/3/19) . There, too, they had rejected Jehovah as king ([1 Samuel 7:16](../../../kjv/1-samuel/7/16) ; [1 Samuel 10:8](../../../kjv/1-samuel/10/8) ; [1 Samuel 11:14](../../../kjv/1-samuel/11/14) , [1 Samuel 11:15](../../../kjv/1-samuel/11/15) ). See note on [Hosea 9:15](../../../kjv/hosea/9/15) .
**Beth-aven** = house of naught. Put for Beth-el (= the house of GOD), now profaned by Jeroboam ([1 Kings 12:28-33](../../../kjv/1-kings/12/28-33) ; [1 Kings 13:1](../../../kjv/1-kings/13/1) .[Amos 3:14](../../../kjv/amos/3/14); [Amos 3:14](../../../kjv/amos/3/14) ). The prophecy fulfilled in [Jeremiah 48:13](../../../kjv/jeremiah/48/13) . See also [2 Kings 10:29](../../../kjv/2-kings/10/29) ; [2 Kings 17:6-23](../../../kjv/2-kings/17/6-23) .[Amos 7:13](../../../kjv/amos/7/13) .
**nor swear, &c.** Compare [Amos 8:14](../../../kjv/amos/8/14) .[Zephaniah 1:5](../../../kjv/zephaniah/1/5) .

**slideth back** = hath been stubborn, restive, or intractable, refractory.
**a lamb** = a young ram of more than a year old.
**in a large place** = an uninclosed space: i. e. the lands of the heathen.

**joined** = mated, or united to.

**sour.** Hebrew turned, turned back, thrust aside as having turned bad.
**Give ye.** By the Figure of speech *Metallage* ( App-6 ) the fact of continual whoredom (or idolatrous worship) is changed to the new thought of the rulers loving to continually command, "Give ye [sacrifices]", with contempt for the sacrifices Jehovah commanded. See [Hosea 8:13](../../../kjv/hosea/8/13) . Thus, the verse is not "untranslatable", as alleged.

**wind, &c.** = the spirit of whoredoms ([Hosea 4:12](../../../kjv/hosea/4/12) ) has bound itself up. Hebrew. *ruach.* App-9 .
**in her wings** = in her skirts (so as to impede her gait).
**they shall be ashamed.** Compare [Isaiah 1:29](../../../kjv/isaiah/1/29) . [Jeremiah 2:26](../../../kjv/jeremiah/2/26) . This verse is not "in confusion", as alleged. These verses (16-19) are not "scraps", as alleged, but are closely connected with the context. They are required by the Structure "[Hosea 4:15-19](../../../kjv/hosea/4/15-19) " and "[Hosea 5:8-15](../../../kjv/hosea/5/8-15) " on p. 1213.

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