Hosea 2 5

Hosea 2:5 kjv

For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.

Hosea 2:5 nkjv

For their mother has played the harlot; She who conceived them has behaved shamefully. For she said, 'I will go after my lovers, Who give me my bread and my water, My wool and my linen, My oil and my drink.'

Hosea 2:5 niv

Their mother has been unfaithful and has conceived them in disgrace. She said, 'I will go after my lovers, who give me my food and my water, my wool and my linen, my olive oil and my drink.'

Hosea 2:5 esv

For their mother has played the whore; she who conceived them has acted shamefully. For she said, 'I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.'

Hosea 2:5 nlt

Their mother is a shameless prostitute
and became pregnant in a shameful way.
She said, 'I'll run after other lovers
and sell myself to them for food and water,
for clothing of wool and linen,
and for olive oil and drinks.'

Hosea 2 verses

Hosea 2 5 Meaning

Hosea 2:5 expresses the egregious infidelity of the nation of Israel, personified as a wayward wife and "mother." She is depicted as consciously and actively pursuing false gods and foreign alliances, referred to as "lovers." Her justification for this spiritual adultery is a fundamental misunderstanding: she believes these "lovers" are the true source of her physical sustenance and prosperity, including essential provisions like bread, water, wool, linen, oil, and drink, rather than the Lord who actually provides them according to His covenant.

Hosea 2 5 Context

Hosea chapter 2 vividly portrays God's covenant relationship with Israel through the powerful metaphor of a marriage. God is the faithful husband, and Israel is His unfaithful wife. The preceding verses introduce God's intention to judge Israel for her spiritual prostitution and pursuit of "lovers." Verse 5 specifically gives voice to Israel's rebellious rationale, laying bare her direct, stated motivation for turning away from the Lord. It forms the immediate background to God's subsequent actions in punishing her, stripping away the very provisions she falsely attributed to her "lovers," and eventually, lovingly seeking her return. Historically, Israel (particularly the Northern Kingdom of Ephraim/Samaria) frequently engaged in syncretistic worship, combining devotion to Yahweh with the worship of local Canaanite deities like Baal, who were believed to control fertility and agricultural prosperity. They also pursued political alliances with surrounding powerful nations (e.g., Egypt, Assyria) for security, neglecting their covenant with Yahweh who was their true protector. This verse captures Israel's specific delusion that these foreign gods or nations were the source of their material blessings and safety.

Hosea 2 5 Word analysis

• For their mother (אִמָּם, immām): In this context, "mother" represents the collective nation of Israel as the spiritual parent or embodiment of the people's collective actions. It indicates that the unfaithfulness originates from the very heart of the community, setting a precedent or embodying the widespread apostasy within the national identity.

• has played the harlot (זָנְתָה, zānəṯâ): Derived from the verb zanah, which denotes literal prostitution. Biblically, and especially in the prophetic books, this verb is consistently used to describe spiritual adultery and covenant unfaithfulness—the act of breaking vows to Yahweh by pursuing other gods, worshipping idols, or entering into illicit alliances with pagan nations. It signifies a deliberate and severe betrayal.

• she who conceived them (הוֹרָתָם, hôrāṯām): This emphasizes the depth of the betrayal. The entity responsible for giving birth to and nurturing the nation (Israel, collectively representing its spiritual formation by God) is herself engaged in shameful behavior, corrupting the very source of their existence and identity as God's people.

• has acted shamefully (הֹבִּישׁה, hōbîšâ): From the root bosh, meaning to be ashamed or put to shame. Here, it denotes bringing deep dishonor and disgrace upon oneself through scandalous, morally corrupt actions. The public nature of Israel's spiritual prostitution makes this act particularly disgraceful, contrasting with the glory and honor due to their true divine husband.

• For she said (כִּי אָמְרָה, kî ʾāmerâ): This introduces direct speech, giving Israel's own voiced reason for her actions. It reveals a conscious, deliberated decision, highlighting the nation's internal justification for its unfaithfulness and demonstrating its stubborn rejection of God's ways.

• 'I will go after my lovers' (אֵלְכָה אַחֲרֵי מְאַהֲבַי, ʾêlkâ ʾaḥărê məʾahăbay): "Go after" (ʾêlkâ ʾaḥărê) signifies active pursuit and devotion. "Lovers" (məʾahăbay) refers not to literal paramours but to the false gods (like Baal) and foreign nations whom Israel courted for protection, prosperity, or strategic advantage, prioritizing them over their covenant with Yahweh. This phrase underscores the intentional seeking of alternatives to God.

• who give me (הַנֹּתְנִים, hannōṯənîm): An active participle, indicating Israel's explicit attribution of the source of her blessings. This phrase captures Israel's fundamental spiritual error: she wrongly believed these false entities or alliances were the benevolent providers, overlooking the true source of all provision, Yahweh. This directly challenges God's exclusive role as Creator and Sustainer.

• my bread and my water, my wool and my linen, my oil and my drink: These items represent the essentials of life and material prosperity: food (bread, water), clothing (wool, linen), and anointing/luxury/sustenance (oil, drink/wine). They are fundamental blessings that Yahweh repeatedly promised and provided to His people. The repeated use of "my" indicates a claim of ownership or entitlement to these provisions, rooted in her delusion that her "lovers" supplied them. These were also common offerings or results attributed to pagan fertility deities like Baal, making this statement a direct polemic against Baal worship.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "For their mother has played the harlot; she who conceived them has acted shamefully": This initial declaration establishes the severe, national, and generational nature of Israel's apostasy. The nation itself is morally corrupted at its core, bringing disrepute not only upon itself but also upon the covenant relationship established by God. This implies a systemic problem rather than isolated instances of unfaithfulness.
  • "For she said, 'I will go after my lovers'": This phrase exposes Israel's proactive and declared intent to abandon Yahweh. It highlights the conscious choice and deliberate turn away from divine covenant, not a passive falling away. It indicates a preference for illicit relationships (with idols or foreign powers) over her sacred marriage bond.
  • "who give me my bread and my water, my wool and my linen, my oil and my drink": This reveals the ultimate spiritual blindness and misplaced trust. Israel's reasoning for her infidelity is purely pragmatic and materialistic, attributing God's gracious provision of life's necessities and comforts to her "lovers." This demonstrates a deep-seated rejection of divine sovereignty and an embracing of a works-based or syncretistic understanding of blessing. This is a direct polemic against the perceived power of pagan gods over nature and provision, clearly stating that Israel attributes agricultural and economic blessings to Baal, rather than the Lord, thus giving the reason for pursuing him.

Hosea 2 5 Bonus section

The strong economic aspect of the "lovers" giving bread, water, etc., serves as a direct and stinging polemic against Baal worship, the dominant fertility cult of the ancient Near East. Worshippers of Baal believed he controlled rain, crop yield, and livestock prosperity. Israel, seeing the apparent success of their Canaanite neighbors (or their own 'success' despite turning away from Yahweh), bought into this lie, rationalizing their spiritual harlotry by crediting Baal (or other pagan powers/foreign alliances) for their sustenance and wealth, rather than remembering the God who brought them out of Egypt and gave them a fertile land. This illustrates the insidious nature of idolatry, often rooted in perceived practical benefits and a desire for immediate gratification or security rather than in true faith and dependence on the unseen God.

Hosea 2 5 Commentary

Hosea 2:5 precisely diagnoses Israel's covenant unfaithfulness as a calculated betrayal driven by delusion. The nation, personified as an adulterous wife and mother, openly declared its preference for false gods and foreign alliances, mistakenly crediting them with the very provisions that originated from Yahweh's unfailing care. This verse encapsulates the economic and pragmatic motivation behind much of Israelite idolatry, especially Baal worship, where material blessings like crops and livestock were wrongly attributed to pagan deities instead of the covenant Lord. It highlights the profound spiritual blindness that caused Israel to abandon her faithful Husband for perceived material gain from illegitimate sources, showcasing a rejection of divine sovereignty and true divine provision.