Hosea 4:4

Do not let anyone accuse or contend against anyone else: ¹  for my case is against you priests! ² 

"But let no man bring a charge, let no man accuse another, for your people are like those who bring charges against a priest.

Yet let no one find fault, and let none offer reproof; For your people are like those who contend with the priest.

"Don’t point your finger at someone else and try to pass the blame! Look, you priests, my complaint is with you!

"But don't look for someone to blame. No finger pointing! You, priest, are the one in the dock.

Let no man go to law or make protests, for your people are like those who go to law with a priest.

Yet let no one contend, and let none accuse, for with you is my contention, O priest.

"Now let no man contend, or rebuke another; For your people are like those who contend with the priest.

Do not let anyone accuse or contend against anyone else: ¹  for my case is against you priests! ² 

¹ tn Or “Let no one contend or accuse.”

² tc The MT reads וְעַמְּךָ כִּמְרִיבֵי כֹהֵן (vÿ’ammÿkha kimrive khohen): “And your people [are] like those who contend against the priest.” This is reflected in the LXX and the versions; however, it is syntactically awkward and makes little sense in context. Several textual critics suggest emending the text to read וְעִמְּךָ רִיבִי כֹהֵן (vÿ’immÿkha rivi khohen): “My contention is with/against you, O priest!” This involves (1) the revocalization of עַמְּךָ (“your people”) to עִמְּךָ (“with/against you”) and (2) positing dittography (a letter written twice instead of once) of כְּ (kaf) between original וְעַמְּךָ רִיבִי to create וְעַמְּךָ כִּרִיבִי (MT). The BHS editors suggest that the MT is corrupt and should be emended. However, the editors of the Hebrew Old Testament Text Project retain the MT reading with a “B” rating. Likewise, the English translations are split: (1) KJV “for thy people are as they that strive with the priest”; NASB “for your people are like those who contend with the priest”; NIV “for your people are like those who bring charges against a priest”; (2) RSV “for with you is my contention, O priest”; NJPS “for this your people has a grievance against [you], O priest!”; TEV “my complaint is against you priests”; CEV “My case is against you, the priests!”

tn The singular noun כֹּהֵן (cohen, “priest”) may be understood as a singular of number (so KJV, NASB, NRSV), referring to a singular individual (perhaps the high priest); however, it is more likely that it functions as a collective singular, referring to the priesthood as a whole (e.g., 4:7-10, so NAB, NCV, TEV, NLT, CEV). Collective singular forms alternate with plural forms throughout the oracle against the priests in 4:4-10.