Book of Hosea Chapter 4 Vs. 4

The Lord Accuses Israel 

Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. Hos. 4:4

let no man... Rationalizing and denying their wrongs, the people protested their innocence, like those who would not humbly accept the decision of the priests (Deut. 17:8-13).

nor reprove another... It appears that no one was above sin, so no one was not in a position to judge, or reprove another. Even the people were trying to tell the priest what was wrong.

that strive with... The priests addressed in these verses shared the guilt of the people and therefore would not be exempt from punishment.

The guilt of the population as a whole is further established. The first two lines in this verse prohibit either lawsuits among the people (NIV) or formal opposition to God’s charges. In either case the reason for God’s prohibition was that all the people were guilty of rebellion. They were like those who brazenly defy God’s established human legal authorities (cf. Deut. 17:12).

The priests’ guilt

The priests addressed in these verses shared the guilt of the people and therefore would not be exempt from punishment.

The guilt of the population as a whole is further established. The first two lines in this verse prohibit either lawsuits among the people (NIV) or formal opposition to God’s charges (cf. Mays, Hosea, p. 67). In either case the reason for God’s prohibition was that all the people were guilty of rebellion. They were like those who brazenly defy God’s established human legal authorities (cf. Deut. 17:12).