The Meaning of Hosea 8:4 Explained

Hosea 8:4

KJV: 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.

YLT: They 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.

Darby: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Hosea 8:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

One example of Israel"s rebellion was the setting up of kings and other leaders without consulting Yahweh.
"Yahweh alone determines who can be king either by charismatic gifts or by direct revelation through a prophet. He gives kings to the nations (e.g, 1 Kings 19:15-16); they do not decide who their kings will be.... The king was Yahweh"s representative or regent, not the people"s choice." [1]
The making of idols was another example of rebellion. The result of this rebellion was that God would cut Israel off (separate Israel from its land and people).

Context Summary

Hosea 8:1-14 - Reaping The Whirlwind
A conqueror was at hand who should subdue and punish the whole nation for taking its own course, irrespective of God, Hosea 8:4-8; for seeking foreign alliances which could bring only oppression in their train, Hosea 8:9-10; and for multiplying altars and fortresses which were destined to be destroyed, Hosea 8:11; Hosea 8:14. The circumstances referred to in this chapter seem to point to the reigns of Menahem and Uzziah, 2 Kings 15:19; 2 Chronicles 26:6-15.
Hosea 8:5 is very striking. Israel had renounced Jehovah for the likeness of a calf, and now in the misfortunes which had overtaken them, their calf had cast them off. What is it that you are putting in the place of God? Power, wealth, the help of influential friends? Sooner or later it will fail you. How different is the One who perpetually encourages us, saying, "I will not fail nor forsake thee," and who promises to carry us to hoar hairs. The persistence with which Israel turned to other lovers left God no option but to put them back into a furnace such as Egypt had been, which would finally burn put their apostasy. Only when we walk before God with a perfect heart are we strong and happy. Once entangle yourself with expedients and alliances, and you lay yourself open to many sorrows. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 8

1  Destruction is threatened both to Israel and Judah for their impiety and idolatry

What do the individual words in Hosea 8:4 mean?

They set up kings but not by Me they made princes but not I did acknowledge [them] from their silver and gold they made for themselves idols that they might be cut off
הֵ֤ם הִמְלִיכוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א מִמֶּ֔נִּי הֵשִׂ֖ירוּ וְלֹ֣א יָדָ֑עְתִּי כַּסְפָּ֣ם וּזְהָבָ֗ם עָשׂ֤וּ לָהֶם֙ עֲצַבִּ֔ים לְמַ֖עַן יִכָּרֵֽת

הִמְלִיכוּ֙  set  up  kings 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
וְלֹ֣א  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
מִמֶּ֔נִּי  by  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
הֵשִׂ֖ירוּ  they  made  princes 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׂרַר  
Sense: to be or act as prince, rule, contend, have power, prevail over, reign, govern.
וְלֹ֣א  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָדָ֑עְתִּי  I  did  acknowledge  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כַּסְפָּ֣ם  from  their  silver 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
וּזְהָבָ֗ם  and  gold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.
עָשׂ֤וּ  they  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לָהֶם֙  for  themselves 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
עֲצַבִּ֔ים  idols 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עָצָב  
Sense: idol, image.
לְמַ֖עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
יִכָּרֵֽת  they  might  be  cut  off 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.