The Lord Accuses Israel
Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. Hos. 4:5
Therefore shalt thou... Here the accusation (Hos. 4:4) is extended to the religious leaders (NIV) or the demise of the religious leaders is announced (KJV, NASB).
fall in the... Stumble refers to their moral shortcomings (cf. Hos. 14:1 2, NASB; Isa. 3:8; Jer. 18:15; Mal. 2:8) or their coming downfall (cf. Hos. 5:5; Isa. 8:15; 28:13; 31:3; Jer. 6:21; 8:12; 20:11).
and the prophet... These priests and prophets were attached to the official sanctuaries and royal court. Their allegiance was to their human king, not God (cf. 1Ki. 22:6-8; Amos 7:10-17), and they were characterized by self-gratification (cf. Isa. 28:7; Jer. 23:11) and greed (Jer. 6:13; Mic. 3:11).
destroy thy mother... The Israelite nation of which the people are the children (compare 2:2).
It appears from this, the
prophet suffered with his people. The first part of the above
sentence seems to be speaking of individuals who will not be spared.
It will not matter whether it is day or night, the outcome is the
same. The nation Israel is spoken of as "mother" as above.
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