Hosea 4:8

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hosea 4:6-11

God is here proceeding in his controversy both with the priests and with the people. The people were as those that strove with the priests (Hos. 4:4) when they had priests that did their duty; but the generality of them lived in the neglect of their duty, and here is a word for those priests, and for the people that love to have it so, Jer. 5:31. And it is observable here how the punishment answers to the sin, and how, for the justifying of his own proceedings, God sets the one over-against... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 4:8

They eat up the sin of my people ,.... That is, the priests did so, as the Targum, the priests of Jeroboam; they ate up the sacrifices which the people brought for their sins: and their fault was, either that they ate that which belonged to the true priests of the Lord, so Jarchi; or they did that, and had no concern to instruct the people in the right way; all that they regarded were good eating and drinking, and living voluptuously; and were altogether careless about instructing the people... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 4:8

They eat up the sin of my people - חטאת chattath , the sin-offering, though it be offered contrary to the law; for their hearts are set on iniquity, they wish to do whatever is contrary to God. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 4:8

Verse 8 This verse has given occasion to many interpreters to think that all the particulars we have noticed ought to be restricted to the priests alone: but there is no sufficient reason for this. We have already said, that the Prophet is wont frequently to pass from the people to the priests: but as a heavier guilt belonged to the priests, he very often inveighs against them, as he does in this place, They eat, he says, the sin of my people, and lift up to their iniquity his soul, that is,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 4:6-10

Priestly neglect and its consequences. This section deals with the sin and punishment of the priests, as the preceding one had described the sin and punishment of the people. The priests here referred to were probably Levitical priests still scattered through the northern kingdom, since God speaks of them as his priests; while those which Jeroboam appointed out of other tribes than that of Levi, and from all, even the lowest, ranks of society, were rather priests for the worship of the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 4:6-11

Priests and people. The prophet addresses himself in this section to both priests and people, but chiefly to the priests, whom he regards as mainly responsible for the people's defection. I. PRIESTS AND PEOPLE ALIKE IN THE REJECTION OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD . ( Hosea 4:6 ) 1. The tack of the knowledge of God . Israel possessed this knowledge of God once. It did not possess it now. There was little right knowledge of God's character, of God's Law, and of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 4:6-14

Israel's guilt and punishment. Priests and people were guilty alike, and would be overtaken by one common doom. I. THE SIN OF THE PRIESTS . 1. They rejected the knowledge of God ( Hosea 4:6 ). They did not engage in the study of the Divine Law, and their lives were a violation of its precepts. 2. They consequently failed to teach the Law to the people ( Hosea 4:6 ). 3. They connived at the national idolatry, on account of the material profit which they obtained... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 4:7-8

As they were increased ; rather, multiplied . Whether כְּרֻבָּם be taken as infinitive with suffix and prefix, or as a noun, it will amount to the same. The reference is rather to the multitude of the population than to the greatness of their prosperity or the abundance of their wealth. In the latter sense it is understood by the Chaldee paraphrase, but in the former by the Syriac translator. So also Kimchi, where he says, "As for Aaron the priest their father, the Law of truth was... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 4:8

Feeding on sin. "They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity." Dr. Henderson renders these words, "They devour the sin offering of my people." "The priests greedily devoured what the people brought for the expiation of their sins; and instead of endeavoring to put a stop to abounding iniquity, only wished it to increase, in order that they might profit by the multitude of the victims presented for sacrifice." The priests lived upon the sacrificial meat (see... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hosea 4:8

They eat up the sin of My people - The priests made a gain of the sins of the people, lived upon them and by them, conniving at or upholding the idolatries of the people, partaking in their idol-sacrifices and idolatrous rites, which, as involving the desertion of God, were “the sin of the people,” and the root of all their other sins. This the priests did knowingly. True or false, apostate or irregularly appointed, they knew that there was no truth in the golden calves; but they withheld the... read more

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