Focused Passage

Hosea 5:8-15

The LORD's Judgment on Priests, Leaders, and a Diseased Nation

Hosea 5 moves from a summons against priests, Israel, and the royal house, to exposure of deep harlotry and pride, to failed religious seeking, to inevitable judgment on Israel and Judah, to the LORD's withdrawal until the people acknowledge guilt and seek him.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

8 Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; raise the battle cry in Beth-aven: Lead on, O Benjamin!

9 Ephraim will be laid waste on the day of rebuke. Among the tribes of Israel I proclaim what is certain.

10 The princes of Judah are like those who move boundary stones; I will pour out My fury upon them like water.

11 Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, for he is determined to follow worthless idols.

12 So I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like decay to the house of Judah.

13 When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria and sent to the great king. But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.

14 For I am like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them to pieces and then go away. I will carry them off where no one can rescue them.

15 Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 8

Original words

Blow תִּקְע֤וּ H8628 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural the ram’s horn שׁוֹפָר֙ H7782 Noun - masculine singular in Gibeah בַּגִּבְעָ֔ה H1390 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular the trumpet חֲצֹצְרָ֖ה H2689 Noun - feminine singular in Ramah בָּרָמָ֑ה H7414 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular raise the battle cry הָרִ֙יעוּ֙ H7321 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural vvv בֵּ֣ית H1007 Preposition in Beth-aven אָ֔וֶן H1007 Noun - proper - feminine singular Lead on אַחֲרֶ֖יךָ H310 Preposition | second person masculine singular O Benjamin בִּנְיָמִֽין׃ H1144 Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Beth-aven means house of wickedness. This is a derogatory term for Bethel, which means house of God; see 1 Kings 12:28–29.
Verse 9

Original words

Ephraim אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ H669 Noun - proper - masculine singular will be תִֽהְיֶ֔ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular laid waste לְשַׁמָּ֣ה H8047 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular on the day בְּי֖וֹם H3117 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of rebuke תּֽוֹכֵחָ֑ה H8433 Noun - feminine singular Among the tribes בְּשִׁבְטֵי֙ H7626 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular I proclaim הוֹדַ֖עְתִּי H3045 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular what is certain נֶאֱמָנָֽה׃ H539 Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular
Verse 10

Original words

The princes שָׂרֵ֣י H8269 Noun - masculine plural construct of Judah יְהוּדָ֔ה H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular are like those הָיוּ֙ H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural who move כְּמַסִּיגֵ֖י H5253 Preposition-k | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural construct boundary stones גְּב֑וּל H1366 Noun - masculine singular I will pour out אֶשְׁפּ֥וֹךְ H8210 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular My fury עֶבְרָתִֽי׃ H5678 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular upon them עֲלֵיהֶ֕ם H5921 Preposition | third person masculine plural like water כַּמַּ֖יִם H4325 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

  • See Proverbs 22:28 and Proverbs 23:10.
Verse 11

Original words

Ephraim אֶפְרַ֖יִם H669 Noun - proper - masculine singular is oppressed עָשׁ֥וּק H6231 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular crushed רְצ֣וּץ H7533 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular construct in judgment מִשְׁפָּ֑ט H4941 Noun - masculine singular for כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction he is determined הוֹאִ֔יל H2974 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular to follow הָלַ֖ךְ H1980 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular . . . אַחֲרֵי־ H310 Preposition worthless idols צָֽו׃ H6673 Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or to follow human precepts
Verse 12

Original words

So I am וַאֲנִ֥י H589 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular like a moth כָעָ֖שׁ H6211 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular to Ephraim לְאֶפְרָ֑יִם H669 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular and like decay וְכָרָקָ֖ב H7538 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular to the house לְבֵ֥ית H1004 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of Judah יְהוּדָֽה׃ H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

When Ephraim אֶפְרַ֜יִם H669 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker saw וַיַּ֨רְא H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular his sickness חָלְי֗וֹ H2483 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular and Judah וִֽיהוּדָה֙ H3063 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker his wound מְזֹר֔וֹ H4205 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular then Ephraim אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ H669 Noun - proper - masculine singular turned וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ H1980 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Assyria אַשּׁ֔וּר H804 Noun - proper - feminine singular and sent וַיִּשְׁלַ֖ח H7971 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the great יָרֵ֑ב H3377 Noun - proper - masculine singular king מֶ֣לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular But he וְה֗וּא H1931 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular cannot לֹ֤א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle . . . יוּכַל֙ H3201 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular cure לִרְפֹּ֣א H7495 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct you לָכֶ֔ם Preposition | second person masculine plural [or] וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle heal יִגְהֶ֥ה H1455 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . מִכֶּ֖ם Preposition | second person masculine plural your wound מָזֽוֹר׃ H4205 Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or to King Jareb
Verse 14

Original words

For כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction I אָנֹכִ֤י H595 Pronoun - first person common singular am like a lion כַשַּׁ֙חַל֙ H7826 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular to Ephraim לְאֶפְרַ֔יִם H669 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular and like a young lion וְכַכְּפִ֖יר H3715 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular to the house לְבֵ֣ית H1004 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of Judah יְהוּדָ֑ה H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular I אֲנִ֨י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular [even] I אֲנִ֤י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular will tear them to pieces אֶטְרֹף֙ H2963 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular and then go away וְאֵלֵ֔ךְ H1980 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular I will carry them off אֶשָּׂ֖א H5375 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular [where] no one וְאֵ֥ין H369 Conjunctive waw | Adverb can rescue them מַצִּֽיל׃ H5337 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Verse 15

Original words

Then I will return אֵלֵ֤ךְ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular . . . אָשׁ֙וּבָה֙ H7725 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition My place מְקוֹמִ֔י H4725 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular until עַ֥ד H5704 Preposition - אֲשֶֽׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative they admit their guilt יֶאְשְׁמ֖וּ H816 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural and seek וּבִקְשׁ֣וּ H1245 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural My face פָנָ֑י H6440 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular in their affliction בַּצַּ֥ר H6862 Preposition-b, Article | Adjective - masculine singular they will earnestly seek Me יְשַׁחֲרֻֽנְנִי׃ H7836 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | first person common singular, Paragogic nun . . . לָהֶ֖ם Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.