Hosea 13 4

Hosea 13:4 kjv

Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.

Hosea 13:4 nkjv

"Yet I am the LORD your God Ever since the land of Egypt, And you shall know no God but Me; For there is no savior besides Me.

Hosea 13:4 niv

"But I have been the LORD your God ever since you came out of Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Savior except me.

Hosea 13:4 esv

But I am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior.

Hosea 13:4 nlt

"I have been the LORD your God
ever since I brought you out of Egypt.
You must acknowledge no God but me,
for there is no other savior.

Hosea 13 verses

Hosea 13 4 Meaning

"I, even I, am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt; and you shall know no god but me, for there is no savior besides me." This verse is a powerful declaration of God's absolute sovereignty and uniqueness. It emphasizes that Yahweh alone is God, the sole source of salvation, and that any other claim to divinity or saving power is false and idolatrous. The repetition of "I" and "even I" highlights God's direct involvement and personal claim over Israel, commencing from their deliverance out of Egypt.

Hosea 13 4 Context

Hosea chapter 13 serves as a severe indictment against Israel's persistent unfaithfulness and idolatry. The people have strayed from Yahweh, their covenant God who delivered them from Egypt, turning instead to foreign deities and seeking security in earthly powers and their own inventions. This verse specifically rebukes the deep-seated corruption and reliance on self-made gods or kings, particularly after the destruction of the Northern Kingdom by the Assyrians. Hosea is prophesying to a people who, despite their history with God, have repeatedly chosen to trust in other sources for their salvation and well-being, leading to their impending judgment.

Hosea 13 4 Word Analysis

• אֲנִי (ani): "I" - The emphatic first-person singular pronoun, strongly asserts God's personal presence and direct address.

• גַּם (gam): "also" or "even" - When repeated as "אֲנִי גַּם-אֲנִי" (ani gam-ani), it intensifies the declaration, "I, even I." This conveys a strong, unwavering, and personal emphasis on God's identity and actions.

• יהוה (YHWH): "the LORD" - The personal covenant name of God, referring to His unchanging faithfulness and divine power, derived from the verb "to be."

• אֱלֹהֶיךָ (elohcha): "your God" - Addresses the covenant relationship between God and Israel. Despite their rebellion, God identifies Himself as their God.

• מִצְרָיִם (Mitzrayim): "Egypt" - Refers to the land from which God redeemed Israel. This recall of the exodus emphasizes God's historic, redemptive action as the foundational proof of His unique claim.

• וְלֹא-תֵדַע (velo-teda): "and you shall not know" - Signifies more than intellectual awareness; it means to know intimately, to acknowledge, and to have a relational understanding. Their knowledge of other gods will be proven hollow.

• אֱלוֹהַּ (eloah): "god" - A general term for deity, used here to contrast with the singular and exclusive Yahweh.

• זֻּלָתִי (zulati): "besides me" or "apart from me" - Highlights exclusivity. There is no legitimate alternative divine presence or power.

• וְאֵין (ve'ein): "and there is no" - Emphatically states the absence of any other divine entity.

• מוֹשִׁיעַ (moshia): "savior" - This term denotes deliverance, rescue, and provision. God alone fulfills this role comprehensively for Israel, not just from physical oppression but from spiritual bondage.

• "I, even I, am the LORD your God...": The repetition signifies God's emphasis on His identity and His continuing covenant relationship, despite Israel's disloyalty. It's a divine assertion of who He is and His enduring claim.

• "...from the land of Egypt": This phrase grounds God's assertion in a specific historical act of deliverance, serving as undeniable evidence of His unique power and saving ability. It reminds them of their origin story as a nation.

• "and you shall know no god but me": This isn't merely about recognizing His existence but about acknowledging Him exclusively, in trust and dependence. It speaks to a functional and relational understanding, not just a factual one.

• "for there is no savior besides me": This strongly negates any possibility of salvation coming from any other source—idols, foreign gods, or human endeavors. Salvation is an attribute exclusively of Yahweh.

Hosea 13 4 Bonus Section

The emphasis on "knowing" God (וְלֹא-תֵדַע) implies a deeper, relational knowledge rather than mere intellectual assent. This contrasts with the superficial understanding or adherence to God that Israel often displayed. In ancient Near Eastern thought, a god's power was often demonstrated through acts of deliverance, and Yahweh's delivery from Egypt was unparalleled, making any claim of other saviors illegitimate. The Hebrew word "moshia" (savior) connects directly to God's role as redeemer and sustainer throughout Israel's history, a role later fulfilled in a unique way by Jesus Christ, whose name means "Yahweh saves." This verse establishes a foundational principle for monotheism that permeates both Old and New Testaments.

Hosea 13 4 Commentary

This verse functions as a potent theological statement, underscoring the absolute necessity of exclusive allegiance to Yahweh. Israel's historical experience, particularly the Exodus from Egypt, serves as the foundational evidence for God's unique identity as Savior. The verse directly confronts any syncretism or idolatry by declaring that any god or power apart from Yahweh is non-existent in its salvific capacity. It anticipates the New Testament truth that salvation is found solely in Christ, who is the embodiment of God's saving power. The repetition and declarative nature of the verse leave no room for compromise in matters of faith and worship. It calls believers to a profound recognition and experience of God as their singular source of security, hope, and redemption.