King James Version

What Does Hosea 9:4 Mean?

“They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.”

Context

The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her. winepress: or, winefat

They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.

They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.

What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?

For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles. destruction: Heb. spoil the: or, their silver shall be desired, the nettle, etc.: Heb. the desire

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(4) **Offer**—*i.e.,* pour out as a libation. A better rendering is to be obtained by abandoning the Hebrew accentuation: *And their sacrifices will not be pleasing to Him; it shall be to them as bread of sorrow*—*i.e.,* funeral food, which defiles for seven days those who partake of it. Another reference to the Mosaic legislation (Deuteronomy 26:14)—*Yea, their bread is for their appetite* (*i.e., only for bodily sustenance*)*, it cometh not to Jehovah’s house* as a sacred offering.[12] These verses show that Hosea did not consider the worship of the Northern Kingdom as in itself illegal. [12] Kuenen (Hibbert Lecture, p. 312) proposes an alteration in the text, whereby the parallelism becomes more harmonious and the construction simpler. He then renders, “They shall pour no libation of wine to Jehovah, and shall not lay out their sacrifices before Him: as food eaten in mourning is their food.” This agrees better with Hosea 3:4.

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Hosea. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Hosea 9:4 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.