Hosea 2:6-13

6 Therefore 1I will hedge up her[a] way with thorns, and 2I will build a wall against her, so that she cannot find her paths.
7 She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. 3Then she shall say, 'I will go and return to 4my first husband, 5for it was better for me then than now.'
8 And 6she did not know that it was 7I who gave her 8the grain, the wine, and the oil, and who lavished on 9her silver and gold, 10which they used for Baal.
9 Therefore 11I will take back my grain in its time, and my wine in its season, and 12I will take away my wool and my flax, which were to cover her nakedness.
10 Now 13I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and no one shall rescue her out of my hand.
11 14And I will put an end to all her mirth, her feasts, her 15new moons, her 16Sabbaths, and all her 17appointed feasts.
12 And 18I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees, 19of which she said, 'These are 20my wages, which my lovers have given me.' I will make them a forest, 21and the beasts of the field shall devour them.
13 And 22I will punish her for 23the feast days of the Baals when she burned offerings to them and 24adorned herself with her ring and jewelry, and went after her lovers and forgot me, declares the LORD.

Hosea 2:6-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 2

This chapter is an explanation of the former, proceeding upon the same argument in more express words. The godly Israelites are here called upon to lay before the body of the people their idolatry, ingratitude, obstinacy, and ignorance of the God of their mercies; and to exhort them to repentance, lest they should be stripped of all their good things, and be brought into great distress and difficulties; all their joy and comfort cease, and be exposed to shame and contempt, Ho 2:1-13, yet, notwithstanding, many gracious promises are made unto them, of their having the alluring and comfortable word of the Gospel; of a door of hope; of salvation being opened to them; of faith in the Lord, and affection to him as their husband; of the removal of all idolatry from them; of safety from all enemies; of their open espousal to Christ; of his hearing of their prayers, and giving them plenty of all good things; and of their multiplication, conversion, and covenant relation to God, Ho 2:14-23.

Cross References 24

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.