Hosea 8:14

14 Israel has forgotten their Maker and built palaces; Judah has fortified many towns. But I will send fire on their cities that will consume their fortresses.”

Hosea 8:14 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
14 For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.
English Standard Version (ESV)
14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; so I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds.
New Living Translation (NLT)
14 Israel has forgotten its Maker and built great palaces, and Judah has fortified its cities. Therefore, I will send down fire on their cities and will burn up their fortresses.”
The Message Bible (MSG)
14 Israel has forgotten his Maker and gotten busy making palaces. Judah has gone in for a lot of fortress cities. I'm sending fire on their cities to burn down their fortifications."
American Standard Version (ASV)
14 For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and builded palaces; and Judah hath multiplied fortified cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the castles thereof.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
14 The people of Israel have built palaces, and they have forgotten their maker. The people of Judah have built many fortified cities. I will send a fire on their cities and burn down their palaces."
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
14 Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; Judah has also multiplied fortified cities. I will send fire on their cities, and it will consume their citadels.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
14 Israel has forgotten the One who made them. They have built palaces for themselves. Judah has built forts in many towns. But I will send fire down on their cities. It will burn up their forts."

Hosea 8:14 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 8:14

For Israel hath forgotten his Maker
The Creator and Preserver of everyone of them, and who had raised them up to a state and kingdom, and had made them great and rich, and populous, and bestowed many favours and blessings on them; and yet they forgot him, to give him glory, and to serve and worship him: and buildeth temples;
to idols, as the Targum adds; to the calves at Dan and Bethel, at which places, as there were altars set up, and priests appointed, so temples and houses of high places built to worship in; see ( 1 Kings 12:31 1 Kings 12:32 ) ( Amos 7:10 Amos 7:13 ) ; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities;
to protect them from their enemies, which was not unlawful; but that they should put their trust and confidence in them, and not in the Lord their God, which was their sin; when they saw the ten tribes carried captive by the Assyrians, they betook themselves to such methods for their security, but were not careful to avoid those sins which brought ruin upon Israel: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces
thereof;
that is, an enemy, that should set fire to their cities, particularly Jerusalem their chief city, and burn the temple of the Lord, the palaces of their king and nobles, and all the fine houses of the great men; which was done many years after this prophecy, by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, ( Jeremiah 52:13 ) .

Hosea 8:14 In-Context

12 I wrote for them the many things of my law, but they regarded them as something foreign.
13 Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to me, and though they eat the meat, the LORD is not pleased with them. Now he will remember their wickedness and punish their sins: They will return to Egypt.
14 Israel has forgotten their Maker and built palaces; Judah has fortified many towns. But I will send fire on their cities that will consume their fortresses.”

Cross References 3

  • 1. S Deuteronomy 32:18; S Isaiah 17:10; S Hosea 2:13
  • 2. S Psalms 95:6
  • 3. Jeremiah 5:17; S Jeremiah 17:27; Amos 2:5
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