The Lord Accuses Israel
Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye. Hos. 4:18
her rulers with... Her rulers love to give sacrifices to the idols, but have contempt for the sacrifices of Jehovah.
This is the only instance where the Hebrew word magen is translated by the English word “rulers.” It occurs in the Old Testament more than 50 times and is usually translated by the English word shield. The leaders God gave to the nation, with the express purpose of shielding it from sin and leading it to God, have instead led in its spiritual defection.
It appears that the leaders, as well as the people, were continually sinning. It had become a way of life for the whole nation.
The prophet does not mince his words in describing the morals of his time.
The accusation concludes as it began by referring to the carousing and immorality which characterized the people and their rulers (cf. Hos. 4:11). Rulers is literally shields, a term which suggests the positive, protective role which a nation’s leaders should play (cf. Psm. 84:9, 84:11; 89:18). Israel’s rulers failed miserably in this regard, loving only shameful deeds.
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