Hosea 3:4 kjv
For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:
Hosea 3:4 nkjv
For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or teraphim.
Hosea 3:4 niv
For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or household gods.
Hosea 3:4 esv
For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods.
Hosea 3:4 nlt
This shows that Israel will go a long time without a king or prince, and without sacrifices, sacred pillars, priests, or even idols!
Hosea 3 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hosea 3:4 | "For the children of Israel shall sit many days without a king, or prince, or sacrifice, or pillar, or ephod, or teraphim." | Hosea 3:4 |
| Isa 1:3 | "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider." | Loss of recognition/relation |
| Jer 22:30 | "Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah." | Absence of Davidic king |
| Eze 44:10 | "And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which they went astray from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity." | Levites bearing iniquity |
| Mic 5:10 | "And I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee; and I will destroy thy chariots;" | Removal of national strength |
| Hos 9:15 | "All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house: I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters." | Princes are revolters |
| Lev 26:30 | "And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you." | Destruction of high places |
| 2 Kings 17:16 | "And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal." | Worshipping idols |
| Jer 3:9 | "And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks." | Idolatry with inanimate objects |
| Psa 106:38 | "And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood." | Sacrificing to idols |
| Isa 19:1 | "The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it." | Idols moved by God's presence |
| Hos 10:6 | "He shall be brought unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel." | Shame from counsel |
| Deut 18:10 | "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or a sorcerer, or an enchanter, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer." | Prohibited practices |
| Judg 17:5 | "And Micah had a house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphims, and put the one of his sons to be his priest." | Idolatrous worship |
| 1 Sam 15:22 | "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." | Obedience over sacrifice |
| Jer 4:22 | "For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge." | Foolishness of the people |
| Psa 115:8 | "They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them." | Futility of idols |
| 1 Cor 12:2 | "Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led." | Worshipping dumb idols |
| Acts 17:29 | "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device." | Godhead not like idols |
| John 1:14 | "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." | Christ dwells among us |
| Rev 21:22 | "And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it." | God is the temple |
Hosea 3 verses
Hosea 3 4 Meaning
Hosea 3:4 describes a period of desolation for Israel, characterized by the absence of a king, a ruling class, sacrifices, pillars (religious or political symbols), and the ephod or teraphim (religious objects). This state signifies a complete loss of divine guidance and covenantal relationship, leading to a profound spiritual and national emptiness.
Hosea 3 4 Context
Hosea 3:4 occurs within the broader narrative of Hosea's prophetic ministry to the northern kingdom of Israel. The preceding verses (3:1-3) detail God's command for Hosea to again love an adulterous wife (symbolizing Israel's unfaithfulness) by purchasing her for himself with fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and half of barley. This act of redemption, despite her sin, prefigures God's enduring, though disciplinary, love for Israel. Chapter 3:4 then describes the immediate consequences of Israel's ongoing sin and rebellion: a prolonged period of judgment where their national and religious structures will be utterly dismantled. This leads into chapter 4, which begins with God’s indictment against Israel for their lack of knowledge and truth, setting the stage for further pronouncements of doom. Historically, this verse likely refers to the eventual Babylonian exile and subsequent periods of statelessness and religious disruption experienced by the people of Israel as a direct result of their persistent apostasy and disobedience to God's covenant.
Hosea 3 4 Word Analysis
- For (Ki): Introduces the reason or consequence of the preceding actions or commands.
- the children of Israel (Bnei Yisrael): Refers to the entire nation of Israel, the descendants of Jacob.
- shall sit (Yeshvu): Will dwell, inhabit, or remain. Indicates a prolonged state.
- many days (Yamim Rabim): A significant duration, a considerable period of time, implying a lengthy period of distress and absence of national life.
- without (Beli): Lacking, in the absence of.
- king (Melech): The supreme ruler or sovereign leader of the nation. This signifies the loss of dynastic succession and national leadership under the Davidic covenant.
- and prince (veSar): And ruler, leader, or official. Broadens the scope beyond the ultimate king to include the governmental structure and its administrators.
- or sacrifice (o` Zevach): An offering made to God, particularly a communal meal offering. This denotes the cessation of the Levitical sacrificial system and public worship due to destroyed temple or disallowed access, highlighting spiritual desolation.
- or pillar (o` `amud): Can refer to standing stones (like those used in pagan worship, making its absence here a sign of divine purification) or symbolic monuments. In a positive covenantal sense, it could represent a commemorative marker of God's presence or promise (e.g., Jacob's pillar at Bethel). Its absence signifies the loss of either divinely sanctioned memorial or the removal of pagan objects.
- or ephod (o` `efod): A sacred garment worn by the high priest, or a small idol, possibly used in divination. In either case, its absence indicates the disruption of priestly functions or the removal of religious paraphernalia used for seeking divine guidance, especially if corrupted.
- or teraphim (o` teraphim): Household idols or figurines used for divination and seeking spiritual counsel, often associated with family gods. Their absence points to the destruction or removal of any means of idolatrous seeking of guidance.
Words/Groups of Words Analysis:
- "Without a king, or prince": This phrase encapsulates the complete collapse of the nation's political structure and legitimate governance. It speaks to a loss of sovereignty and order, enforced by divine judgment.
- "Or sacrifice, or pillar, or ephod, or teraphim": This string lists the essential components of Israel's religious life, both as prescribed by God and as corrupted by syncretism and idolatry. Their absence signifies total religious devastation and isolation from any form of communion with the divine, whether true or false. It is a comprehensive picture of spiritual homelessness and lack of mediation.
Hosea 3 4 Bonus Section
The phrase "sit many days without a king, or prince" has been interpreted by some scholars and theologians to have a dual fulfillment: first, during the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles when Israel lost its Davidic monarchy, and second, looking forward to a time of national dispersion and a similar absence of divinely appointed leadership, especially during periods of widespread apostasy. The loss of the "ephod" and "teraphim" highlights the void left by the absence of any perceived divine guidance, whether from true priestly garments or from idolatrous means. This verse serves as a solemn reminder that faithfulness to God brings order and blessing, while unfaithfulness results in a chaotic and desolate state. The purchasing of Hosea's wife with silver and barley in the preceding verses emphasizes God's initiative in redemption even amidst sin, a theme mirrored in Christ's redemption of His church.
Hosea 3 4 Commentary
Hosea 3:4 paints a stark picture of Israel's future consequence for its persistent spiritual adultery. It is not merely a political collapse but a profound national and spiritual impoverishment. The absence of a king and prince means no national leadership; the absence of sacrifice and religious objects means no connection to God and no means of seeking divine counsel. This verse describes a season of God's disfavor where all the means of Israel's national and spiritual sustenance are withdrawn. It foreshadows the exile, a period where Israel would be stripped of its autonomy, its Temple, and its appointed worship. However, this devastating prophecy also contains a sliver of hope, as it is given within the context of Hosea's redeemed bride, hinting at eventual restoration, when God Himself would become their ultimate king, sacrifice, and presence. The passage is a strong condemnation of idolatry and reliance on human systems rather than on God.