God’s judgment against the sins of Israel: Juda is warned not to follow their example.

¹ Listen to the word of the Lord, sons of Israel, for the Lord is judge of the inhabitants of the land. Yet there is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no knowledge of God, in the land.

² Slander, and lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery have overflowed, and bloodshed has brought more bloodshed.¹

1. 4:2The last phrase is translated loosely, according to its meaning. A literal translation would be ‘blood has touched blood.’(Conte)

³ Because of this, the land will mourn, and all who dwell in it will languish, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. And the fishes of the sea also will be gathered together.

⁴ So, truly, let each and every one not judge, and let no man be accused, for your people are just like those who speak against the priesthood.¹

1. 4:4Let not any man judge, etc: As if he would say: It is in vain to strive with them, or reprove them, they are so obstinate in evil.(Challoner)

⁵ And you will be ruined on this day, and now the prophet will be ruined with you. In the night, I have made your mother to be silent.

⁶ My people have become silent because they had no knowledge. Since you have rejected knowledge, I will drive you away; you do not perform the duties of the priesthood for me, and you have forgotten the law of your God, and so I will forget your sons.

⁷ According to the multitude of them, so have they sinned against me. I will change their glory into disgrace.¹

1. 4:7Or, more loosely, ‘As many as there are of them, that is how many have sinned against me....’ Or, ‘The more of them there are, the more they sin against me....’ Or, ‘As they increase in number, they increase in their sins against me....’ There is also an implicit sense in this verse that part of the reason for their sinfulness is the influence of the multitude, that is, of the majority. Living in a land where most people commit certain sins, makes it more likely that one will commit those sins.(Conte)

⁸ They will devour the sins of my people, and they will lift up their souls towards their iniquity.

⁹ And, just as it is with the people, so will it be with the priest; and I will visit their ways upon them, and I will repay them for their intentions.

¹⁰ And they will eat and not be satisfied. They have been committing fornication, and they did not cease. Since they have abandoned the Lord, they will not be safeguarded.

¹¹ Fornication, and wine, and drunkenness, have taken away their heart.

¹² My people have inquired of their stave, and their staff has announced to them. For the spirit of fornication has deceived them, and they have been fornicating before their God.

¹³ They have offered sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burnt incense on the hills, under the oak, and the poplar, and the terebinth tree, because its shadow was good; therefore, your daughters will commit fornication and your spouses will be adulteresses.

¹⁴ I will not send afflictions on your daughters, when they will commit fornication, nor on your spouses, when they will commit adultery, because you yourselves have associated with harlots and have offered sacrifice with the effeminate, and because the people who do not understand will be defeated.

¹⁵ If you commit fornication, Israel, at least let Judah not commit offenses; and do not be willing to enter into Gilgal, nor to ascend to Bethaven, and neither should you swear, “As the Lord lives.”¹

1. 4:15Galgal and Bethaven: Places where idols were worshipped. Bethel, which signifies the house of God, is called by the prophet, Bethaven, that is, the house of vanity, from Jeroboam’s golden calf that was worshipped there.(Challoner)

¹⁶ For Israel has gone astray like a wanton heifer; so now the Lord will pasture them like a young lamb in a wide expanse.¹

1. 4:16The sense here is that the young lamb is not pastured in a safeguarded fenced-in area, but in the more dangerous open countryside.(Conte)

¹⁷ Ephraim participates in idolatry, so send him away.

¹⁸ Their feasting has been set aside; they have committed fornication after fornication. They love to bring disgrace to their protectors.

¹⁹ The wind has fastened them to its wings, and they will be confounded because of their sacrifices.