Hosea 4:18
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
Their drink is sour: they have committed prostitution continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give you.
American King James Version (AKJV)
Their drink is sour: they have committed prostitution continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give you.
American Standard Version (ASV)
Their drink is become sour; they play the harlot continually; her rulers dearly love shame.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Their drink has become bitter; they are completely false; her rulers take pleasure in shame.
Webster's Revision
Their drink is sour: they have been guilty of lewd deeds continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.
World English Bible
Their drink has become sour. They play the prostitute continually. Her rulers dearly love their shameful way.
English Revised Version (ERV)
Their drink is become sour: they commit whoredom continually; her rulers dearly love shame.
Clarke's Hosea 4:18 Bible Commentary
Their drink is sour - Or rather, he is gone after their wine. The enticements of idolatry have carried them away.
Her rulers with shame do love - Rather, have loved shame; they glory in their abominations.
Give ye - Perhaps it would be better to read, Her rulers have committed, etc. They have loved gifts. What a shame! These were their rulers, literally, their shields. Justice and judgment were perverted.
Barnes's Hosea 4:18 Bible Commentary
Their drink is sour - Literally, "turned," as we say of milk. So Isaiah says, "Thy silver is become dross; thy wine is mingled," i. e., adulterated, "with water" Isaiah 1:22; and our lord speaks of "salt which had lost its savor." The wine or the salt, when once turned or become insipid, is spoiled, irrecoverably, as we speak of "dead wine." They had lost all their life, and taste of goodness.
Her rulers with shame do love, give ye - Avarice and luxury are continually banded together according to the saying, "covetous of another's, prodigal of his own." Yet it were perhaps more correct to render, "her rulers do love, do love, shame." They love that which brings shame, which is bound up with shame, and ends in it; and so the prophet says that they "love the shame" itself. They act, as if they were in love with the shame, which, all their lives long, they are unceasingly and, as it were, by system, drawing upon themselves. They chase diligently after all the occasions of sins and sinful pleasures which end in shame; they omit nothing which brings it, do nothing which can avoid it. What else or what more could they do, if they "loved the shame" for its own sake?
Wesley's Hosea 4:18 Bible Commentary
4:18 Their drink - Their wine is corrupt and hurtful.Continually - Without ceasing from Jeroboam's time to this day.Give ye - Beside there is shameful oppression and bribery among them.