Hosea 4:18 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Bible Comments

Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.

Their drink is sour - metaphor for utter degeneracy of principle (Isaiah 1:22). Or, unbridled licentiousness; not mere ordinary sin, but as abandoned as drunkards who vomit and smell sour with wine potations (Calvin). Maurer, not so well, translates, 'When their drinking is over, they commit whoredoms'-namely, in honour of Astarte (Hos so well, translates, 'When their drinking is over, they commit whoredoms'-namely, in honour of Astarte (Hosea 4:13-14).

Her rulers - Israel's. Literally, shields (cf. Psalms 47:9, "The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God").

With shame do love, Give ye - (Proverbs 30:15, "The horse-leach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give"). So Pusey, 'her rulers do love, do love, shame' х 'aahªbuw (H157) heebuw (H157)]: probably an early form of the intensive verb, repeating a part of the verb itself, with its inflection. Buxtorf and Kimchi support the English version [from yaahab (H3051), to give]. No remedy could be effectual against their corruptions, since the very rulers sold justice for gifts (Calvin). Maurer translates, 'the rulers are marvelously enamoured of shame.'

Hosea 4:18

18 Their drink is sour:f they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.