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Hosea 4:12

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Hosea 4:12

Verse 12 of 19

Scripture focus

My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused [them] to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.

Hosea 4:12 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Hosea 4:12

Theological / Devotional

Stocks. That is, wooden images.

Staff. Probably a rod employed for divination purposes.

Spirit of whoredoms. This irrepressible, bewitching desire to worship idols, Hosea likens to spiritual adultery, which tragically drew Israel away from the Lord. The “spirit of whoredoms” may also describe the vehemence that possessed men and caught them up in the whirl and excitement of evil passions.

From under their God. A wife was spoken of as being under her husband; that is, under his authority (see on Num. 5:19). This relationship ceased when she gave herself to another, as was true of Israel when she withdrew from the Lord and joined herself to her idols.

By SdaBc