Hosea 10:5 kjv
The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.
Hosea 10:5 nkjv
The inhabitants of Samaria fear Because of the calf of Beth Aven. For its people mourn for it, And its priests shriek for it? Because its glory has departed from it.
Hosea 10:5 niv
The people who live in Samaria fear for the calf-idol of Beth Aven. Its people will mourn over it, and so will its idolatrous priests, those who had rejoiced over its splendor, because it is taken from them into exile.
Hosea 10:5 esv
The inhabitants of Samaria tremble for the calf of Beth-aven. Its people mourn for it, and so do its idolatrous priests ? those who rejoiced over it and over its glory ? for it has departed from them.
Hosea 10:5 nlt
The people of Samaria tremble in fear
for their calf idol at Beth-aven,
and they mourn for it.
Though its priests rejoice over it,
its glory will be stripped away.
Hosea 10 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hosea 10:5 | Beth-aven, and shame thereof shall arise from the calf of Beth-el. | Hosea 4:15, 12:11 (Idolatry at Bethel, renamed Beth-aven) |
| For the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the keepers of the idols thereof | Isaiah 1:29, 44:9-20 (Idolatry and shame) | |
| And they that made a great boast thereof shall be ashamed; | Jeremiah 48:39 (Boasting in idols leading to shame) | |
| For its stubbornness shall be turned into confusion. | Proverbs 29:1 (Stubbornness leading to destruction) | |
| The inhabitants of Samaria shall be put to shame because of the calf of Beth-aven. | Amos 8:14 (Oaths by the sin of Samaria) | |
| The inhabitants of Israel shall be ashamed of their own counsel. | Isaiah 30:1-3 (Reliance on Egypt leading to shame) | |
| As the tree is cut down, so shall the idols be broken in pieces. | Isaiah 10:33-34 (Destruction of symbols of power) | |
| As straw is blown away by the wind, so shall their offerings be wasted. | Isaiah 17:13-14 (Vain sacrifices) | |
| The sorrows of the idolaters will increase. | Psalm 73:18 (Foolishness of the wicked) | |
| The Lord will be a terrifying sight to them. | Hebrews 12:29 (God is a consuming fire) | |
| For their sin is greatly offensive. | Ezekiel 20:4 (God's judgment on persistent sin) | |
| Their works of unfaithfulness shall be exposed. | Job 20:27-28 (Hidden sin revealed) | |
| Great distress shall come upon them. | Luke 21:25-26 (Signs of the end) | |
| Their cherished treasures shall be lost. | Matthew 6:19-20 (Earthly treasures are perishable) | |
| They shall look to the destroyer. | Jeremiah 6:12-14 (Judgment coming through a foreign invader) | |
| Vanity and loss will be their end. | Ecclesiastes 1:2 (All is vanity) | |
| They shall be put to flight. | Isaiah 52:11-12 (Flee from Babylon) | |
| The glory that departed shall not return. | Ezekiel 44:2 (The glory departed from Jerusalem) | |
| Confusion of face shall be their inheritance. | Daniel 9:7 (Confession of shame) | |
| The sin of Israel will be its undoing. | Romans 11:11 (Through their stumbling, salvation has come to Gentiles) |
Hosea 10 verses
Hosea 10 5 Meaning
The people of Israel will lament for the calf of Beth-aven, as its glory has departed. The people who worship idols will be put to shame, and their prized possessions, built on their unfaithfulness, will be taken away by a foreign invader.
Hosea 10 5 Context
Hosea 10:5 is part of a prophecy directed against the Northern Kingdom of Israel, specifically during a period of extreme religious and political corruption. The preceding verses (Hosea 9:15-17) describe the judgment coming upon them due to their wickedness and rebellion against God. This verse then details a specific aspect of that judgment: the shame and loss that will befall them because of their devotion to idolatry, particularly at the Bethel shrine. The mention of "Beth-aven" (house of iniquity/worthlessness) is a pointed jab at Bethel (house of God), highlighting the perversion of worship there. The nation's pride and reliance on false gods will be met with divine wrath, leading to destruction and the seizure of their ill-gotten gains. This judgment serves as a consequence of their repeated apostasy and failure to heed God's warnings through His prophets.
Hosea 10 5 Word analysis
Beth-aven: Transliteration: Beth-‘ā-ven. Meaning: "House of iniquity" or "House of vanity." This is a contemptuous name given by Hosea to Bethel.
Beth-el: Transliteration: Beth-‘Ēl. Meaning: "House of God." The original name given by Jacob (Gen. 28:19), later corrupted by idolatrous worship.
shame: A state of humiliation or disgrace, here a direct result of their sinful actions and their idols' impotence.
arise: To come into being or prominence, here signifying the origin of their shame.
calf: Refers to the golden calves set up as idols, notably at Bethel and Dan, following the division of the kingdom (1 Kings 12:28-29).
people: Refers to the inhabitants of Israel, who are the recipients of this judgment.
mourn: To express deep sorrow or grief; here, their mourning is for their lost idols and former glory, rather than in repentance.
idols: False gods or images worshipped as deities.
thereof: Possessive pronoun referring back to the idols or the calf.
great boast thereof: Their arrogant pride and confidence placed in their idols and their national prosperity, which was tied to their sin.
ashamed: Feeling embarrassed or humiliated; their boasting will be replaced by disgrace.
stubbornness: Transliteration: qeshet (used figuratively). Literally "bowstring" or "readiness" for action. Here it signifies their readiness for sin and their persistent rebellion, which will now be turned to confusion. It could also relate to the stiffness or inflexibility of their hearts in their ways.
confusion: Disarray, bewilderment, or humiliation; a state of being disoriented and ashamed.
Samaria: The capital city of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
put to shame: To be made to feel disgrace or embarrassment.
own counsel: Their own plans and strategies, which will prove to be futile and lead to their downfall.
tree: Symbolizing something seemingly strong or established, which can be felled.
cut down: To be felled or destroyed, signifying complete ruin.
straw: Symbolizing something weak, worthless, and easily carried away.
blown away: To be dispersed or scattered by wind, indicating the utter helplessness of their idols and their own inability to resist the coming judgment.
offerings: Sacrifices and worship rendered to their idols, which are seen as utterly useless and wasted.
sorrows: Pain, grief, or anguish.
Group Analysis (Calf of Beth-aven, Shame, Boast thereof, Stubbornness): The verse links the "calf of Beth-aven" as the direct cause of the shame that will arise. Israel's confident "boast" in this idolatrous symbol and their "stubbornness" in adhering to it will ultimately lead to confusion and disgrace. This group of words highlights the misplaced trust, pride, and persistent sin that characterize Israel's relationship with their idols, contrasting with their expected response to the divine presence.
Group Analysis (People mourn, Idols thereof, Ashamed): The "people" are depicted as mourning for their "idols thereof," but this grief is a sorrow for what they are losing in their sin, not for the sin itself. This misplaced affection and dependence on idols leads directly to their being "ashamed," as the objects of their devotion prove to be worthless in the face of divine judgment.
Hosea 10 5 Bonus Section
The name "Beth-aven" (House of Iniquity) versus "Beth-el" (House of God) is a powerful wordplay that underscores the apostasy of Israel. What was meant to be a place of encountering God had become a center of detestable practices. This practice of renaming places to reflect their spiritual condition is also seen in prophecy, like when Isaiah renames Shear-jashub ("a remnant shall return"). The idea of the glory departing (echoed by Ezekiel 44:2 in relation to the Temple) applies here metaphorically to the divine presence that Israel forfeited through its sin. The destruction of their idols is a recurring theme, with idols often being depicted as useless, unable to speak, see, or save (Psalm 115:4-8). Their "offerings" being "blown away like straw" illustrates the worthlessness of their religious efforts when they are not offered in obedience and truth.
Hosea 10 5 Commentary
Hosea 10:5 vividly portrays the impending doom of idolatrous Israel. Their worship at the illicit shrine of Beth-aven (a perversion of Bethel) is shown to be the source of their future disgrace. The "calf" symbolizes the pagan worship, likely referring to the golden calves set up by Jeroboam. The nation's pride ("great boast thereof") in these idols and their "stubbornness" in maintaining this false worship will backfire, leading to utter shame and confusion. They will mourn, not in repentance, but for the loss of their prized possessions and the objects of their false devotion. Their security, built upon unfaithfulness, will be stripped away, leaving them vulnerable and disgraced. The verse anticipates the complete dismantling of their idolatrous system and the futility of their reliance on anything other than the true God.