Hosea 9:6

6 Even if they escape from destruction, Egypt will gather them, and Memphis will bury them. Their treasures of silver will be taken over by briers, and thorns will overrun their tents.

Hosea 9:6 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
6 For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.
English Standard Version (ESV)
6 For behold, they are going away from destruction; but Egypt shall gather them; Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver; thorns shall be in their tents.
New Living Translation (NLT)
6 Even if you escape destruction from Assyria, Egypt will conquer you, and Memphis will bury you. Nettles will take over your treasures of silver; thistles will invade your ruined homes.
The Message Bible (MSG)
6 Be warned! When you escape from the frying pan of disaster, you'll fall into the fire of Egypt. Egypt will give you a fine funeral! What use will all your god-inspired silver be then as you eke out a living in a field of weeds?
American Standard Version (ASV)
6 For, lo, they are gone away from destruction; [yet] Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them; their pleasant things of silver, nettles shall possess them; thorns shall be in their tents.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
6 Even if they escape without being destroyed, Egypt will capture them and Memphis will bury them. Weeds will grow over their silver treasures. Thorns will grow over their tents.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
6 For even if they flee from devastation, Egypt will gather them, and Memphis will bury them. Thistles will take possession of their precious silver; thorns will invade their tents.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
6 Some of you will escape without being destroyed. But you will die in Egypt. Your bodies will be buried at Memphis. Weeds will cover your treasures of silver. Thorns will grow up in your tents.

Hosea 9:6 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 9:6

For, lo, they are gone, because of destruction
That is, many of the people of Israel were gone out of their own land to others, particularly to Egypt, because of the destruction that was coming upon them, and to avoid it; because of the Assyrian army which invaded their land, and besieged Samaria, and threatened them with entire destruction; and upon which a famine ensued, and which is thought by Kimchi to be here particularly meant; Egypt shall gather them up:
being dead; for they shall die there, perhaps by the pestilence, and never return to their own country, as they flattered themselves; and they shall make preparations for their funeral: Memphis shall bury them;
or they shall be buried there; which was a principal city in Egypt, here called Moph, in ( Isaiah 19:13 ) , Noph. It was the metropolis of upper Egypt, and the seat of the Egyptian kings. In it, as Plutarch says F20, was the sepulchre of Osiris; and some say its name so signifies. Near to it were the famous pyramids, as Strabo F21 says, supposed to be built for the sepulchre of them. Herodotus F23 places these pyramids at Memphis, and says there were three of them; the largest had several subterraneous chambers in it; the next in size had none; the smallest was covered with Ethiopic marble. Strabo, in the place referred to, speaks of many pyramids near it, of which three were very remarkable, and expressly says they were the burying places of the kings. Diodorus F24 agrees with these, as to the number of them, but places them fifteen miles from Memphis. Pliny F25 places them between Memphis and the Delta, six miles from Memphis; pretty near to which is Strabo's account, who in the above place says, they stood forty furlongs, or five miles, from the city. Near it was the lake of Charon or Acherusia, over which he ferried dead bodies from Memphis to the pyramids, or to the plains of the mummies, the Elysian fields. Now since this was so famous for the burying places of kings, there may be an allusion to it in this expression. Here also were buried their deities, the Apis or ox when it died; the pleasant [places] for their silver, nettles shall possess them;
such beautiful edifices as were made for the repositories or treasure houses for their silver; or were built or purchased at great expense of silver; or were decorated with it; now should lie in ruins, and be like a waste, desert, and desolate place, all overrun with nettles, and uninhabited: briers [shall be] in their tabernacles;
their dwelling houses, which being demolished, briers shall grow upon the ground where they stood, and overspread it; another token of desolation. The Targum interprets it of living creatures, beasts of prey, that should dwell there; wild cats particularly.


FOOTNOTES:

F20 De Iside & Osir. p. 359.
F21 Geograph. l. 17. p. 555.
F23 Euterpe, sive l. 2. c. 8. 126, 127.
F24 Bibliothec. l. 1. p 57.
F25 Nat. Hist. l. 36. c. 12.

Hosea 9:6 In-Context

4 They will not pour out wine offerings to the LORD, nor will their sacrifices please him. Such sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat them will be unclean. This food will be for themselves; it will not come into the temple of the LORD.
5 What will you do on the day of your appointed festivals, on the feast days of the LORD?
6 Even if they escape from destruction, Egypt will gather them, and Memphis will bury them. Their treasures of silver will be taken over by briers, and thorns will overrun their tents.
7 The days of punishment are coming, the days of reckoning are at hand. Let Israel know this. Because your sins are so many and your hostility so great, the prophet is considered a fool, the inspired person a maniac.
8 The prophet, along with my God, is the watchman over Ephraim,yet snares await him on all his paths, and hostility in the house of his God.

Cross References 5

  • 1. S Hosea 7:11; S Hosea 8:13
  • 2. S Isaiah 19:13
  • 3. S Jeremiah 42:22
  • 4. Zephaniah 1:11
  • 5. Isaiah 5:6; Hosea 10:8
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