Hosea 8 · Verse 4

Hosea 8:4

They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
Hosea 8:4, King James Version

Hosea 8:4 in other translations

BSBThey set up kings, but not by Me. They make princes, but without My approval. With their silver and gold they make themselves idols, to their own destruction.
WEBThey have set up kings, but not by me. They have made princes, and I didn’t approve. Of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols, that they may be cut off.
ASVThey have set up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
YLTThey have made kings, and not by Me, They have made princes, and I have not known, Their silver and their gold they have made to them idols, So that they are cut off.
DARBYThey have set up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, and I knew it not; of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
BBEThey have put up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, but I had no knowledge of it; they have made images of silver and gold, so that they may be cut off.
WebsterThey have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made for themselves idols, that they may be cut off.

What does Hosea 8:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. kings ... not by me--not with My sanction (1Ki 11:31; 12:20). Israel set up Jeroboam and his successors, whereas God had appointed the house of David as the rightful kings of the whole nation. I knew it not--I approved it not (Psa 1:6). of ... gold ... idols--(Ho 2:8; 13:2). that they may be cut off--that is, though warned of the consequences of idolatry, as it were with open eyes they rushed on their own destruction. So Jr 27:10, 15; 44:8.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 They have set up kings, but not by me - Properly speaking, not one of the kings of Israel, from the defection of the ten tribes from the house of David, was the anointed or the Lord. I knew it not - It had not my approbation. In this sense the word know is frequently understood. That they may be cut off - That is, They shall be cut off in consequence of their idolatry.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hosea 8:1-4

Destruction threatened for the impiety of Israel. (Hos. 8:1-4) For their idolatry. (Hos. 8:5-10) Further threatenings for the same sins. (Hos. 8:11-14) Verses 1-4 When Israel was hard pressed, they would claim protection from God, but this would be disregarded. What stead will it stand in to say, My God, I know thee, if we cannot say, My God, I love thee, serve thee, and cleave to thee only?

Read the full comment on Hosea 8:1-4 →

Hosea 8:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הֵ֤םhemtheyH1992
הִמְלִיכוּ֙him.li.Khuthey have made kingsH4427
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
מִמֶּ֔נִּיmi.Me.nifrom meH4480
הֵשִׂ֖ירוּhe.Si.ruthey have installed leadersH7786
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
יָדָ֑עְתִּיya.Da.'e.tiI knewH3045
כַּסְפָּ֣םkas.Pamsilver theirH3701
וּזְהָבָ֗םu.ze.ha.Vamand gold theirH2091
עָשׂ֤וּ'a.Suthey have madeH6213
לָהֶם֙la.Hemfor <the> themselves
עֲצַבִּ֔ים'a.tza.BimidolsH6091
לְמַ֖עַןle.Ma.'anso thatH4616
יִכָּרֵֽת\׃yi.ka.Retit may be cut offH3772

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Hosea 8:4

  • Hosea 13:9-10

    O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?

  • 2 Kings 15:10-30

    And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead. And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. This was the word of the Lord which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass. Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria. …

  • Hosea 13:2

    And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.

  • 1 Kings 12:16-20

    So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents. But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day. …

  • John 10:14

    I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

  • Hosea 2:8

    For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.

  • 1 Kings 16:31

    And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.

  • Luke 13:25

    When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:

  • Galatians 4:9

    But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

  • 1 Kings 12:28

    Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

  • Jeremiah 44:7-8

    Therefore now thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain; In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?

  • Matthew 25:12

    But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
set.
1Ki 12:16-20; 2Ki 15:10-30"Shallum, Menakem, Pekahiah." I knew.
Mt 25:12; Lu 13:25,27; Joh 10:14; Ga 4:9
of.
2:8; 13:2; 1Ki 12:28; 16:31
that they.
13:9; 1Ki 13:34; Jer 44:7,8; Eze 18:31

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Hosea 8:3

    Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.

  • Hosea 8:4

    They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.

  • Hosea 8:5

    Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?

Read all of Hosea 8

Hosea 8:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Ellos hicieron reyes, mas no por mí; constituyeron príncipes, mas yo no lo supe: de su plata y de su oro hicieron ídolos para sí, para ser talados.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ils ont fait des rois, mais non de par moi; ils ont fait des princes, et je ne le savais pas. De leur argent et de leur or ils se sont fait des idoles, afin qu’ils soient retranchés.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Sie haben Könige gemacht, aber nicht von mir aus; sie haben Fürsten eingesetzt, und ich wußte es nicht. Von ihrem Silber und von ihrem Golde haben sie sich Götzenbilder gemacht, damit es vernichtet werde.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ipsi regnaverunt, et non ex me; principes exstiterunt, et non cognovi: argentum suum et aurum suum fecerunt sibi idola, ut interirent.