Hosea 4:8 Meaning and Explanation
“They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The priests feed on the people's sin offerings and crave more wrongdoing, profiting from the very sin they should prevent.
What Does Hosea 4:8 Mean?
This verse exposes a bitter corruption. The priests ate portions of the sin offerings, and so they came to welcome the people's sin, for more guilt meant more food at their table. They 'set their heart' on the very iniquity they were called to cure.
It is a dark thing when those who minister begin to profit from the failures of others. The remedy of grace becomes a trade. God sees this exchange and grieves it. True shepherds long for their people's holiness, not their stumbling, and Christ, the great High Priest, gave Himself away rather than feed on the sins of His flock.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hosea 4:8
What does Hosea 4:8 mean?
The priests feed on the people's sin offerings and crave more wrongdoing, profiting from the very sin they should prevent.