Hosea 4

The phrase is more literally, “The more you increased.” That could mean they got richer or they grew in the number of priests. Take your pick. Scholars do. This era was Israel’s golden age because many top citizens, such as priests, had become rich. And some Jews taught that wealth was a sign of God’s approval. So the rich but sinful priests might have figured their sinning was okay with God. Hosea came to correct that.

This is a presumption based on the literal phrasing in Hebrew: “You feed on the sin of my people.” One way priests might do that is by eating their share of sacrificial offerings (Leviticus 7:28-38). The more the people sinned, the more sacrifices they had to bring to the place of worship. Even today, churches often take in more money during times of crisis. That’s because church attendance increases.

More literally and cryptically, “They’ll prostitute but not multiply.” What does that mean? People in some regional religions, such as Baal worship, would have sex with a priest/prostitute as a prayer. It might have been a request for more children or for a good harvest. If the sex entertained the god, the god might grant the request. This was a tempting religion not only because it seemed to work for many farmers, but because it could sound exciting and fun—for some reason, especially for guys. Ladies, on the other hand, might have worried what their husbands would do if their first-born sons looked more like Father Thaddeus than Daddy.

God’s law says their place of sacrifice was chosen for its sanctity, not its shade. God chose one place alone for Jews to come together and worship him with sacrifices and prayer (Deuteronomy 12:5). It was the Jerusalem Temple that King Solomon drafted artisans to build. Northern rulers of Israel didn’t want their people returning to Jerusalem to worship. They feared reunification under one king from David’s descendants. And it wouldn’t be them. So, they built shrines at Bethel and Gilgal (Amos 5:5). The people apparently built many other shrines, too, to various gods.

This may be only a metaphor, comparing unfaithfulness to God with prostitution. Some scholars say there doesn’t seem to be evidence of women getting involved in the ritual sex. Some speculate otherwise, and say this verse might refer to practices such as a bride’s father-in-law deflowering her at a shrine, in what might amount to a prayer for lots of children. The sex—like fasting for many Christians—is a way to express deep concern. However, some scholars say if the northern Jews of Israel had been doing that, at least one of the southern prophets would have called them on it.

Beth-aven was a sarcastic, slap in the face nickname for Bethel. A little like Filthadelphia for Philadelphia or Liverpuddle for Liverpool. “Bethel” translates as beth = house, and el = god. House of God. “Beth-aven” is the opposite of the joy that comes with having God in the house. It means House of Trouble. Bethel was the main worship center in Israel (1 Kings 12:28-30).