Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God
This phrase highlights the concept of sin as a barrier to reconciliation with God. In the context of Hosea, Israel's actions, particularly idolatry and social injustice, have created a separation from God. The deeds refer to the persistent sinful behaviors that have become habitual, making repentance difficult. This echoes the biblical principle found in Isaiah 59:2, where iniquities create a separation between people and God. The historical context of Hosea involves a time of moral and spiritual decline in Israel, where the worship of Baal and other Canaanite deities was prevalent, leading to a departure from the covenant relationship with Yahweh.

for a spirit of prostitution is within them
The "spirit of prostitution" metaphorically describes Israel's unfaithfulness to God, akin to marital infidelity. This imagery is consistent throughout Hosea, where Israel is often depicted as an unfaithful spouse. The term "spirit" suggests a pervasive and controlling influence, indicating that idolatry and spiritual adultery have deeply infiltrated the nation's heart and mind. This reflects the cultural and religious syncretism of the time, where the Israelites adopted pagan practices, compromising their exclusive devotion to God. The concept of spiritual adultery is also seen in James 4:4, where friendship with the world is equated with enmity against God.

and they do not know the LORD
This phrase underscores the lack of true knowledge and relationship with God. In the Hebrew context, "to know" implies an intimate, covenantal relationship, not merely intellectual awareness. Israel's failure to know the LORD indicates a breakdown in their covenant relationship, characterized by disobedience and ignorance of God's laws and character. This is a recurring theme in the prophetic literature, where knowing God is equated with living in accordance with His will (Jeremiah 9:23-24). Theologically, this points to the necessity of a heart transformation, as seen in the New Covenant promise of Jeremiah 31:33-34, where God writes His law on the hearts of His people, enabling them to truly know Him.

1. Hosea
A prophet in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, called by God to deliver messages of judgment and hope.

2. Israel
The Northern Kingdom, often referred to as Ephraim in Hosea, which had turned away from God and engaged in idolatry.

3. God (Yahweh)
The one true God, who desires a covenant relationship with His people but is grieved by their unfaithfulness.

4. Spirit of Prostitution
A metaphorical expression indicating Israel's unfaithfulness and idolatry, likened to spiritual adultery.

5. Deeds
The actions of the Israelites that reflect their rebellion and prevent them from returning to God.The Consequences of Sin
Sin creates a barrier between us and God, preventing us from returning to Him. We must recognize the seriousness of sin and its impact on our relationship with God.

Spiritual Adultery
Just as Israel was unfaithful to God through idolatry, we must guard against allowing anything to take God's place in our hearts. Idolatry can take many forms, including materialism, pride, or self-reliance.

The Importance of Knowing God
True knowledge of God goes beyond intellectual understanding; it involves a personal relationship and obedience to His will. We must strive to know God intimately and live according to His Word.

Repentance and Return
Despite Israel's unfaithfulness, God's desire is for His people to return to Him. Repentance is a crucial step in restoring our relationship with God, requiring a change of heart and actions.

The Role of the Holy Spirit
While the "spirit of prostitution" led Israel astray, the Holy Spirit empowers believers to live faithfully and resist the temptations of the world.(4) The margin, "Their deeds will not suffer (them)," requires the introduction of the word "them," not in the Hebrew. It is favoured by the Jewish commentators, Schmoller, and others, but it is better to render, with the Authorised version, They frame not their doings, &c. The knowledge of the only true God is life.

Verse 4. - In this verse their evil doings are traced to an evil spirit of whoredoms that is, of idolatries, which impels them blindly and resistlessly to evil, while at the same time it expels the knowledge of God. The first clause is differently rendered. The textual rendering of the Authorized Version, viz. they will not frame (literally, give, direct) their doings to turn unto their God, denotes their total and absolute refusal to repent or to bring forth fruits meet for repentance. The actions are an index of the state of the heart, but neither the thoughts of Israel at this time, nor their deeds which indicated these thoughts, were in the direction of repentance. In heart and life they were impenitent. This rendering is supported by most of the Hebrew commentators. Rashi says, "They forsake not their evil way;" Aben Ezra," They perform not works so as to turn." Kimchi also gives an alternative sense: "Or the sense of the words is thus: They cling so closely to their evil works, that even should they for once conceive in their heart the idea of turning, they immediately repent them of it." The marginal rendering also yields a good sense; it is, Their doings will not suffer (allow) [them] to turn unto their God. The pronominal suffix for "them" is wanting, yet it may be dispensed with, as the appending of it to "doings" and "God" makes the sense sufficiently explicit. It is favored by Ewald, Keil, the Targum, and Kimchi, who explains: "Their evil works do not allow them to return to their God, as if he said, To such extent have they multiplied transgression that there is no way left them to return, until they receive their punishment." Such and so great was the power of their evil habits that they could not break them off or break away from them by repentance; or so intimately connected is a change of heart with a change of life that, in the absence of the latter, the former is impossible. According to either rendering, the reason assigned is contained in the next clause: For the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord. So overmastered were they, as though by some fiendish spirit that held them in check and exercised despotic power over them, that they rushed headlong down the steep incline, like the Gadarene herd of swine, which, when the unclean spirits entered into them, ran violently down a steep place into the sea. Neither was there any counteracting force to turn them back or reverse their course. Such a force might have been found in the knowledge of God, of his covenant mercy, of his power, love, grace, and goodrich. But this was wanting, and the absence of this knowledge at once increased their impenitence and aggravated their guilt. It was Israel's privilege and Israel's duty to know the Lord; for he had revealed himself to them as to no other nation; he had given them his Law, he had made them depositaries of his truth and the conservators of his living oracles; their ignorance, therefore, was altogether inexcusable, while it evinced greatest ingratitude to Jehovah, who had taken them into covenant with himself, and declared himself to be their God.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Their deeds
מַ֣עַלְלֵיהֶ֔ם (ma·‘al·lê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4611: A deed, practice

do not
לֹ֤א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

permit them
יִתְּנוּ֙ (yit·tə·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

to return
לָשׁ֖וּב (lā·šūḇ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

their God,
אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם (’ĕ·lō·hê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

for
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

a spirit
ר֤וּחַ (rū·aḥ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit

of prostitution
זְנוּנִים֙ (zə·nū·nîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2183: Adultery, idolatry

is within them,
בְּקִרְבָּ֔ם (bə·qir·bām)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7130: The nearest part, the center

and they do not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

know
יָדָֽעוּ׃ (yā·ḏā·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3045: To know

the LORD.
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT Prophets: Hosea 5:4 Their deeds won't allow them to turn (Ho Hs Hos.)