Hosea 10:4 Meaning and Explanation
“They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Their dealings are full of empty words and false oaths, so that justice itself turns bitter and poisonous like a weed in the fields.
What Does Hosea 10:4 Mean?
The charge turns to broken faith. The leaders make covenants but swear falsely, treaties and promises that are only words. Hosea draws the consequence with a farmer's image: where such dishonesty is sown, judgment springs up like hemlock, a poisonous weed sprouting in the plowed furrows where good grain should grow.
When truth-telling decays, justice does not simply vanish; it sours into something toxic. A society that breaks its word reaps a harvest that sickens everyone in it. The Lord who is faithful and true calls His people to let their yes be yes, for honest speech is the soil in which real justice and mercy can grow.
Hosea 10:4 in the Original Language
rosh (רֹאשׁ), 'hemlock' -- a bitter, poisonous plant, here picturing justice gone toxic.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hosea 10:4
What does Hosea 10:4 mean?
Their dealings are full of empty words and false oaths, so that justice itself turns bitter and poisonous like a weed in the fields.