Hosea 8:3

3 But Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue him.

Hosea 8:3 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
3 Israel has spurned the good; the enemy shall pursue him.
New Living Translation (NLT)
3 But it is too late. The people of Israel have rejected what is good, and now their enemies will chase after them.
The Message Bible (MSG)
3 Israel will have nothing to do with what's good, and now the enemy is after them.
American Standard Version (ASV)
3 Israel hath cast off that which is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
3 However, they have rejected what is good. The enemy will persecute them.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
3 Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue him.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
3 But they have turned away from what is good. So an enemy will chase them.

Hosea 8:3 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 8:3

Israel hath cast off [the thing that is] good
Or "rejected [him that is] good" F25; that is, God, as Kimchi observes; for there is none good but him, ( Matthew 19:17 ) ; he is the "summum bonum", "the chiefest good" to men, and is essentially, originally, and infinitely good in himself, and the fountain of all goodness to his creatures; and yet Israel has rejected him with detestation and contempt, as the word F26 signifies, though they pretended to know him, which shows their hypocrisy; and therefore it is no wonder that their prayers were rejected by him: or they rejected the good word of God, the law, or doctrine contained in it, and the good worship, service, and fear of God, and indeed everything that was good, just, and right. Cocceius renders it, "the good One", or he that is God, the good God, "hath cast off Israel". This reading of the words Drusius also mentions, and seems to like best, and as agreeing with what follows; so Rivet; but the position of the words in the Hebrew text, and the accents, do not favour it; the enemy shall pursue him;
who is before compared to an eagle, which flies swiftly, and pursues its prey with eagerness and fierceness: Shalmaneser is meant, who should invade the land, come up to Samaria, besiege and take it; nothing should stop him, nor should Israel escape from him, since they had cast off the Lord, and everything that was good. The Targum is,

``the house of Israel have erred from my worship, for the sake of which I brought good things upon them; henceforward the enemy shall pursue them.''

FOOTNOTES:

F25 (bwj larvy xnz) "deseruit Israel bonum, i. e. Deum", Vatablus, Munster, Tarnovius, Zanchius.
F26 "Abominatus est", Calvin, Zanchius.

Hosea 8:3 In-Context

1 “Put the trumpet to your lips! An eagle is over the house of the LORDbecause the people have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law.
2 Israel cries out to me, ‘Our God, we acknowledge you!’
3 But Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue him.
4 They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction.
5 Samaria, throw out your calf-idol! My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of purity?

Cross References 1

  • 1. S Matthew 7:23; Titus 1:16
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