Hosea 3 5

Hosea 3:5 kjv

Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

Hosea 3:5 nkjv

Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They shall fear the LORD and His goodness in the latter days.

Hosea 3:5 niv

Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to his blessings in the last days.

Hosea 3:5 esv

Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the LORD and to his goodness in the latter days.

Hosea 3:5 nlt

But afterward the people will return and devote themselves to the LORD their God and to David's descendant, their king. In the last days, they will tremble in awe of the LORD and of his goodness.

Hosea 3 verses

Hosea 3 5 Meaning

Hosea 3:5 prophesies a future time when the exiled and unfaithful people of Israel will experience a spiritual awakening and national restoration. It speaks of their voluntary return to seek a right relationship with Yahweh their God, driven by a newfound reverence and awe. Central to this restoration is their turning towards "David their king," which signifies the re-establishment of the Davidic dynasty in a spiritual and Messianic sense, culminating in the reign of Christ. This transformative event, marked by a respectful submission to God's reign and experiencing His abundant goodness, is destined to occur "in the latter days," a key eschatological term pointing to the ultimate culmination of God's redemptive plan.

Hosea 3 5 Context

Hosea 3:5 concludes a profound allegorical depiction of God's relentless love for unfaithful Israel. Chapter 3 immediately follows Hosea's painful yet redemptive act of buying back his unfaithful wife, Gomer, from slavery. This act directly mirrors Yahweh's pursuit and redemption of Israel, who had prostituted herself with idolatry and pagan practices (Hos 1:2; 2:5-7). Just as Gomer was put in a period of isolation to turn from her ways, Israel is depicted in verse 4 as dwelling "many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or household idols," a state of spiritual desolation and political dispersion, yet devoid of the idolatry they had so fervently embraced. This period, which prophetically refers to the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles and the subsequent long dispersion, serves to strip Israel of both their national independence and their idols.

Against this backdrop of judgment and preparatory stripping away, verse 5 offers a magnificent promise of future restoration and spiritual revival. It assures Israel that this period of desolation is not an end but a means to bring them to true repentance and a right relationship with God and their true king. The book of Hosea, set against the backdrop of the declining Northern Kingdom (Israel) just before its fall to Assyria (722 BCE), primarily addresses their pervasive spiritual apostasy, the breach of the covenant, and their trust in political alliances rather than Yahweh. Despite the stern warnings of judgment throughout the book, the consistent theme is God's covenantal love, which, though often rejected, never utterly abandons His people. Hosea 3:5 represents the ultimate triumph of this redemptive love.

Hosea 3 5 Word analysis

• Afterward (אַחַר – 'aḥar): Signifies a point in time after the period of waiting and discipline mentioned in verse 4. It denotes a future, subsequent development, not immediate. It emphasizes God's long-term plan and patience.
• the children of Israel (בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל – bənê yiśrā’ēl): Refers specifically to the entire nation of Israel, both the northern (Ephraim/Israel) and southern (Judah) kingdoms, highlighting a comprehensive future restoration of God's covenant people.
• shall return (יָשׁוּבוּ – yāšûḇû): From the verb šûḇ, meaning to turn back, repent, or convert. It implies a spiritual turning away from past unfaithfulness and idolatry, back to Yahweh. It is a fundamental biblical concept of repentance and restoration (e.g., Jer 29:13-14).
• and seek (וּבִקְשׁוּ – ûḇiqšû): From bāqaš, to diligently search for, to desire earnestly. It denotes an active, deliberate pursuit of God and His will, in contrast to their prior casual disregard. This isn't a passive return but an eager quest.
• Yahweh their God (יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם – yhwh ʾĕlōhêhem): Yahweh is the covenant name of God, emphasizing His faithful, personal relationship with Israel. Elohim (here in construct with pronominal suffix them) reinforces His ultimate authority and ownership over them as their God. It implies renewed allegiance to their covenant Lord.
• and David their king (וְאֵת דָּוִיד מַלְכָּם – wə'ēṯ dāwiḏ malkām): This is highly significant. While historically there was no king David in Hosea's future, "David" here is Messianic. It refers to a descendant of David who will rule justly and righteously (Jer 30:9; Eze 34:23-24). This points directly to Jesus Christ, the ultimate fulfillment of the Davidic covenant and the true King of Israel (Psa 89:3-4, Lk 1:32-33, Rev 22:16). It signifies the establishment of the spiritual, universal reign of God through the Messiah.
• and they shall come trembling (וּפָחֲדוּ – ûpāḥădû): From pāḥaḏ, meaning to fear, tremble, or stand in awe. It describes a reverential, submissive, and humble fear of God's majesty and holiness, rather than a servile or terrified fear. It signifies true piety and worship.
• to Yahweh (אֶל יְהוָה – 'el yhwh): Reinforces the direct, personal encounter and submission to God's sovereign authority.
• and to his goodness (וְאֶל טוּבוֹ – wə'el ṭûḇô): Ṭûḇ refers to God's inherent benevolence, graciousness, and welfare. This fear is not born of terror, but of recognizing God's overwhelming grace and provision. They will respond to God's goodness with reverence, experiencing its profound benefits (Psa 27:13, Rom 2:4).
• in the latter days (בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים – bə'aḥărîṯ hayyāmîm): A common prophetic phrase meaning "the end of days" or "the last days." It refers to a definitive future period of salvation history, characterized by God's climactic acts of judgment and redemption. This often refers to the coming of the Messiah, the establishment of His kingdom, and the ultimate restoration of all things (Gen 49:1; Num 24:14; Isa 2:2; Act 2:17; Heb 1:2).

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek Yahweh their God": This phrase encapsulates the eschatological repentance of Israel. Their future conversion is presented as active and intentional. It highlights a spiritual paradigm shift where the nation moves from rebellion to fervent seeking of the true God who holds covenant with them.
• "and David their king": This clause immediately follows "Yahweh their God," linking the future reign of Yahweh directly to the Davidic Messiah. It signifies that Israel's submission to God will be expressed through their allegiance to His appointed king from David's line, signifying the ultimate theocratic reign in the person of Christ. This union of divine and kingly authority is pivotal to their restoration.
• "and they shall come trembling to Yahweh and to his goodness": This portrays the manner of their future submission. "Trembling" (or reverence/awe) denotes a humble, respectful, and submissive posture before God. This fear is not out of terror of judgment but a profound awe of His majestic being and, significantly, His goodness. It implies that experiencing God's benevolence will lead them to deeper worship and trust, contrasting sharply with their previous irreverence and idolatry.
• "in the latter days": This overarching temporal phrase sets the entire prophecy within God's ultimate plan for history. It points beyond immediate historical fulfillments to the Messianic age and beyond, culminating in the spiritual and physical restoration of Israel in relation to the coming and reign of Jesus Christ. It frames the preceding elements as part of a final, divinely ordained epoch of salvation.

Hosea 3 5 Bonus section

• The dual pursuit of "Yahweh their God, and David their king" signifies the indivisible nature of spiritual restoration and rightful government. To truly return to God is to submit to the reign of His appointed Son.
• The transition from the physical presence of a king and temple elements (v. 4) to their absence, and then to a spiritual yearning for God and David, points to the evolving nature of God's dealings and the eventual spiritualization of true worship under the New Covenant.
• While initially for national Israel, the principles of repentance, seeking God and His Son, reverent worship, and experiencing God's goodness apply universally to believers in Christ. Every soul who "returns" to Christ finds Him as their King and experiences His manifold goodness.
• The specific mention of "David" by name rather than simply "a king" powerfully solidifies the unbreakable promise of the Davidic covenant (2 Sam 7:12-16) and identifies the future leader as the Messiah, establishing a clear link to Jesus as the fulfillment of these Old Testament hopes.

Hosea 3 5 Commentary

Hosea 3:5 is a profound prophetic statement about Israel's ultimate spiritual renewal and restoration under the reign of the Messiah. Following a necessary period of divine discipline and spiritual barrenness (verse 4), the nation will genuinely repent and earnestly seek Yahweh their God. Crucially, their seeking extends not just to God directly, but also to "David their king," pointing unmistakably to a future Messianic figure from the Davidic line. This highlights that God's plan for Israel's restoration is intrinsically tied to the Davidic covenant and finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the true Son of David and the promised King. Their return will be marked by a deep reverence, a holy "trembling" that stems from an awareness of God's majesty yet is simultaneously drawn by His inherent "goodness." This demonstrates a shift from a casual or idolatrous relationship to one of deep reverence and trust in His benevolence. The phrase "in the latter days" underscores that this grand spiritual transformation and the establishment of Messianic rule is an eschatological event, a culmination within God's sovereign timeline, marking the final stage of His redemptive purposes for Israel and, through them, for the world. This verse encapsulates both God's enduring faithfulness to His covenant people and His plan for the Messianic kingdom.