Hosea 2:3-13

3 lest peradventure I spoil her naked, and set her naked by the day of her nativity. And I shall set her as a wilderness, and I shall ordain her as a land without (a) way, and I shall slay her in thirst. (lest perhaps I strip her naked, yea, make her as naked as she was on the day of her birth. And I shall make her as bare as a wilderness, and I shall ordain her as a land without a way, and I shall kill her with thirst.)
4 And I shall not have mercy on the sons of her, for they be the sons of fornications; (And then I shall not have mercy on her children, for they be the children of adulteries, or of idolatries;)
5 for the mother of them did fornication, she is shamed that conceived them, for she said, I shall go after my lovers, that give [my] loaves to me, and my waters, and my wool, and my flax, and mine oil, and my drink. (for their mother did adultery, or idolatry, yea, she is shamed who conceived them, for she said, I shall go after my lovers, who give me my bread, and my water, and my wool, and my flax, and my oil, and my drink.)
6 For this thing, lo! I shall hedge thy way with thorns, and I shall hedge it (about) with a wall, and she shall not find her paths.
7 And she shall follow her lovers, and shall not (over)take them, and she shall seek them, and shall not find [them]; and she shall say, I shall go, and turn again to my former husband, for it was well to me then more than now. (And she shall follow after her lovers, but shall not overtake them, and she shall seek after them, but shall not find them; and then she shall say, I shall go, and return to my former husband, for it was better for me then, than it is now.)
8 And this Jerusalem knew not, that I gave to her wheat, wine, and oil; and I multiplied silver and gold to her, (of) which they made (offering) to Baal. (And this Jerusalem knew not, that it was I who gave her the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and I multiplied her silver and her gold, which they then offered to Baal.)
9 Therefore I shall turn (again), and take (back) my wheat in his time, and my wine in his time; and I shall deliver my wool, and my flax, by which they covered the shame thereof. (And so I shall return, and take back my corn in its time, and my wine in its time; and I shall take away my wool, and my flax, with which she covered her shame, or her nakedness.)
10 And now I shall show the folly of her before the eyes of her lovers, and a man shall not deliver her from mine hand; (And now I shall show her folly to her lovers, and no one shall be able to rescue her out of my hands;)
11 and I shall make to cease all the joy thereof, the solemnity thereof, the new moon thereof, that is, the feast of the new moon, the sabbath thereof, and all the feast times thereof. (and I shall make to cease all her joy, and all her solemn feasts, yea, her new moons, that is, the feast of the new moon, and her sabbaths, and her other feasts.)
12 And I shall destroy the vinery thereof, [and her fig tree,] of which she said, These be mine hires which my lovers gave to me; and I shall set it into a forest, and a beast of the field shall eat it. (And I shall destroy her vines, and her fig trees, of which she said, These be my wages which my lovers gave me; and I shall turn them into a forest, and the wild beasts shall eat them, or shall destroy them/and the beasts of the fields shall eat there.)
13 And I shall visit on it (for) the days of (the) Baalim, in which it burnt incense, and was adorned with her earring(s), and her brooch, and went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the Lord. (And I shall punish her for the days in which she burned incense to the Baalim, and was adorned with her earrings, and her brooches, and went after her lovers, and forgot me, saith the Lord.)

Hosea 2:3-13 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.