Parallel Verses
New Heart English Bible
My people consult with their wooden idol, and answer to a stick of wood. Indeed the spirit of prostitution has led them astray, and they have been unfaithful to their God.
New American Standard Bible
For a spirit of harlotry has led them astray,
And they have played the harlot, departing
King James Version
My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
Holman Bible
and their divining rods inform them.
For a spirit of promiscuity leads them astray;
they act promiscuously
in disobedience to
International Standard Version
My people seek counsel from their piece of wood, and their diviner's rod speaks to them. For a spirit of prostitution causes them to go astray; in their immorality they desert their God.
A Conservative Version
My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declares to them, for the spirit of whoredom has caused them to err, and they have played the harlot, [departing] from under their God.
American Standard Version
My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have played the harlot, departing from under their God.
Amplified
My people consult their [lifeless] wooden idol, and their [diviner’s] wand gives them oracles.
For a spirit of prostitution has led them astray [morally and spiritually],
And they have played the prostitute, withdrawing themselves from their God.
Bible in Basic English
My people get knowledge from their tree, and their rod gives them news; for a false spirit is the cause of their wandering, and they have been false to their God.
Darby Translation
My people ask counsel of their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredoms causeth them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God:
Julia Smith Translation
My people will ask in their counsel, and with their rod they will announce to them: for the spirit of fornications caused to err, and they will commit fornication from under their God.
King James 2000
My people ask counsel of their idols of wood, and their staff advises unto them: for the spirit of harlotry has caused them to err, and they have played the harlot against their God.
Lexham Expanded Bible
My people, consult {their wooden idols}, and their divining rod gives them oracles; because a spirit of whoredom led [them] astray, and they played the whore from under their God.
Modern King James verseion
My people seek advice from their wooden idols, and their rod declares to them. For the spirit of harlotry has caused them to go astray, and they have gone lusting away from under their God.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
My people ask counsel at their stocks, their staff must tell them. For a whorish mind hath deceived them, so that they commit fornication against their God.
NET Bible
They consult their wooden idols, and their diviner's staff answers with an oracle. The wind of prostitution blows them astray; they commit spiritual adultery against their God.
The Emphasized Bible
My people, of their Wood, do ask, - Let, their Staff, then tell them, - for, the spirit of unchastity, hath led them astray, and they have unchastely departed from under their God.
Webster
My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth to them: for the spirit of lewdness hath caused them to err, and they have gone astray from under their God.
World English Bible
My people consult with their wooden idol, and answer to a stick of wood. Indeed the spirit of prostitution has led them astray, and they have been unfaithful to their God.
Youngs Literal Translation
My people at its staff asketh and its rod declareth to it, For a spirit of whoredoms hath caused to err, And they go a-whoring from under their God.
Themes
Adultery » A type of the apostate church when disobedient » Characterized as an adulteress
Divination » Effected through » Rods
Heart » What takes away the heart
Idolatry » Objects of, described as » Stocks
Idolatry » They who practice » Have fellowship with devils
Idolatry » They who practice » Ask counsel of their idols
Israel » A type of the apostate church when disobedient » Characterized as an adulteress
Israel » A type of the apostate church when disobedient » Adultery of
Sins » National » The jews, characterized as an adulteress
Topics
Interlinear
Sha'al
`ets
Nagad
Ruwach
Ta`ah
References
Word Count of 20 Translations in Hosea 4:12
Verse Info
Context Readings
God's Case Against The People
11 Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away understanding. 12 My people consult with their wooden idol, and answer to a stick of wood. Indeed the spirit of prostitution has led them astray, and they have been unfaithful to their God. 13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because its shade is good. Therefore your daughters play the prostitute, and your brides commit adultery.
Cross References
Jeremiah 2:27
who tell wood, 'You are my father;' and a stone, 'You have brought me out:' for they have turned their back to me, and not their face; but in the time of their trouble they will say, 'Arise, and save us.'
Hosea 5:4
Their deeds won't allow them to turn to their God; for the spirit of prostitution is within them, and they do not know the LORD.
Habakkuk 2:19
Woe to him who says to the wood, 'Awake.' or to the mute stone, 'Arise.' Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in its midst.
Leviticus 17:7
They shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat idols, after which they play the prostitute. This shall be a statute forever to them throughout their generations.'
Leviticus 20:5
then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all who play the prostitute after him, to play the prostitute with Molech, from among their people.
Numbers 15:39
and it shall be to you for a fringe, that you may look on it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that you not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you use to play the prostitute;
Deuteronomy 31:16
The LORD said to Moses, "Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers; and this people will rise up, and play the prostitute after the strange gods of the land, where they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.
2 Chronicles 21:13
but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute, like the house of Ahab did, and also have slain your brothers of your father's house, who were better than yourself:
Psalm 73:27
For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.
Isaiah 44:18-20
They do not know, neither do they consider: for he has shut their eyes, that they can't see; and their hearts, that they can't understand.
Jeremiah 3:1-3
"They say, 'If a man puts away his wife, and she goes from him, and become another man's, will he return to her again?' Wouldn't that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the prostitute with many lovers; yet return again to me," says the LORD.
Jeremiah 10:8
But they are together brutish and foolish: the instruction of idols. it is but a stock.
Ezekiel 16:1-63
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Ezekiel 21:21
For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he shook the arrows back and forth, he consulted the teraphim, he looked in the liver.
Ezekiel 23:1-49
The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,
Hosea 9:1
Do not rejoice, Israel, to jubilation like the nations; for you were unfaithful to your God. You love the wages of a prostitute at every grain threshing floor.
Micah 2:11
If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood lies: "I will prophesy to you of wine and of strong drink;" he would be the prophet of this people.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-11
even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,