Bible Commentary

Hosea 4:9

The Pulpit Commentary on Hosea 4:9

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

Like people, like priest. As it had fared with the people who had sinned and had been punished, as is stated in the third and fifth verses; so shall it be with the priest or whole priestly order. He has involved himself in sin and punishment like the people, and that as the consequence of his extreme unfaithfulness; whereas by faithful dealing with the people and discharge of his duty he might have delivered his own soul, as stated by , "Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul."

It is well explained by Kimchi as follows: "These two caphs of likeness are by way of abbreviation, and the explanation is—the people are like the priest and the priest is like the people. And the meaning is that, as the people and the priest are equal with respect to sin, so shall they be equal in relation to punishment."

And I will visit upon his ways, and his doings I will bring back to him. The retribution here threatened includes the whole priestly order, not people and priest as one man, according to Pusey, who, however, makes the following excellent comment on מעלליו: "The word rendered doings signifies great doings when used of God, bold doings on the part of man.

These bold presumptuous doings against the Law and will of God, God will bring back to the sinner's bosom," or rather, down overwhelmingly upon his head. The singular individualizes; so both Aben Ezra and Kimchi: "Upon every one of them."

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commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Hosea 4:1-19EXPOSITIONJoseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryMatthew Henry on Hosea 4:6-11Both priests and people rejected knowledge; God will justly reject them. They forgot the law of God, neither desired nor endeavoured to retain it in mind, and to transmit the remembrance to their posterity; therefore Go…Matthew HenrycommentaryGrounds of God's Controversy with Israel; The Sins of the Priests and People. (b. c. 758.)GROUNDS OF GOD'S CONTROVERSY WITH ISRAEL; THE SINS OF THE PRIESTS AND PEOPLE. (B. C. 758.) God is here proceeding in his controversy both with the priests and with the people. The people were as those that strove with t…Matthew HenrycommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Hosea 4:6-11Priests 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…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Hosea 4:6-10Priestly 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 L…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Hosea 4:6-14Israel'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 st…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Hosea 4:9Like people, like priest. This and similar passages show the justice and impartiality with which the inspired prophets fulfilled the office to which they were called. Neither the fear of the priest nor the favor of the…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Hosea 4:9The reciprocal influence of priesthood and people. "There shall be, like people, like priest." Though perhaps the translation of Keil and Delitzsch—"Therefore it will happen as to the people, so to the priest"—may give…Joseph S. Exell and contributors