Hosea 10:4
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springs up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
American King James Version (AKJV)
They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springs up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
American Standard Version (ASV)
They speak vain words, swearing falsely in making covenants: therefore judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Their words are foolish; they make agreements with false oaths, so punishment will come up like a poison-plant in a ploughed field.
Webster's Revision
They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
World English Bible
They make promises, swearing falsely in making covenants. Therefore judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.
English Revised Version (ERV)
They speak vain words, swearing falsely in making covenants: therefore judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
Clarke's Hosea 10:4 Bible Commentary
They have spoken words - Vain, empty, deceitful words.
Swearing falsely - This refers to the alliances made with strange powers, to whom they promised fidelity without intending to be faithful; and from whom they promised themselves protection and support, notwithstanding God was against them, and they knew it. All their words were vain, and in the end as bitter as gall.
Judgment springeth up as hemlock - As our land lies without cultivation, so that we have nothing but noxious weeds instead of crops; so we have no administration of justice. What is done in this way is a perversion of law, and is as hurtful to society as hemlock would be to animal life. All this may refer to the anarchy that was in the kingdom of Israel before Hoshea's reign, and which lasted, according to Archbishop Usher, nine years. They then, literally, "had no king."
Barnes's Hosea 10:4 Bible Commentary
They have spoken words - The words which they spoke were eminently "words;" they were mere "words," which had no substance; "swearing falsely in making a covenant, literally, swearing falsely, making a covenant, and judgments springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field." : "There is no truth in words, no sanctity in oaths, no faithfulness in keeping covenants, no justice in giving judgments." Such is the result of all their oaths and covenants, that "judgment springeth up," yea, flourisheth; but, what judgment? Judgment, bitter and poisonous as hemlock, flourishes, as hemlock would flourish on ground broken up and prepared for it. They break up the ground, make the "furrows." They will not have any chance self-sown seed; they prepare the soil for harvest, full, abundant, regular, cleared of all besides. And what harvest? Not any wholesome plant, but poison. They cultivate injustice and wickedness, as if these were to be the fruits to be rendered to God from His own land. So Amos says, "Ye have turned judgment into gall or wormwood" Amos 6:12; Amos 5:7, and Habakkuk, "Judgment went forth perverted" Habakkuk 1:4.
Wesley's Hosea 10:4 Bible Commentary
10:4 Words - Vain words. Swearing falsely - By perjury deceiving those they treated with. A covenant - With the Assyrian king.Judgment - Divine vengeance. As hemlock - A proverbial speech, expressing the greatness of this evil.
