Hosea 4 16

Hosea 4:16 kjv

For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

Hosea 4:16 nkjv

"For Israel is stubborn Like a stubborn calf; Now the LORD will let them forage Like a lamb in open country.

Hosea 4:16 niv

The Israelites are stubborn, like a stubborn heifer. How then can the LORD pasture them like lambs in a meadow?

Hosea 4:16 esv

Like a stubborn heifer, Israel is stubborn; can the LORD now feed them like a lamb in a broad pasture?

Hosea 4:16 nlt

Israel is stubborn,
like a stubborn heifer.
So should the LORD feed her
like a lamb in a lush pasture?

Hosea 4 16 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Hosea 4:16"For Israel behaves like a stubborn heifer; now will the Lord keep them like a lamb in a large field."Own Verse
Jeremiah 2:24"anuntamed wild donkey used to the wilderness, in her season sniffing the wind! Who can turn her back? Those who seek her will not weary themselves; in her months they will find her."Stubbornness, Unmanageable
Psalm 32:9"Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or they will not stay near you."Lack of understanding, Control needed
Proverbs 7:10"And behold, a woman met him, adventuress and simple; she is loud and wayward, her feet do not stay at home."Waywardness, Unrestrained behavior
Isaiah 53:7"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth."Contrast: Lambs vs. Heifer
Matthew 11:29"Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."Contrast: God's gentle yoke
Acts 7:51"“You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you."Stubbornness against the Spirit
Hebrews 12:4"In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood."Contrast: Stubborn resistance
Genesis 27:40"By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but the time shall come when you shall break his yoke from your neck.”"Breaking a yoke
Deuteronomy 21:3"and if a heifer that has not been worked and has not pulled in a yoke has been found..."Unbroken yoke reference
Jeremiah 3:8"and when she saw that for all the adulteries of treacherous Israel, I had sent her away and given her her writ of divorcement, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the whore also."Treacherousness, Apostasy
Psalm 106:34-35"They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD commanded them, but mingled with the nations and learned their practices, and served their idols, which became a snare to them."Mingling and learning bad practices
Ezekiel 16:33"how you have loved a sordid paramour, giving him gifts, but not receiving gifts from him! You are even the opposite of your usual harlotry."Prostituted conduct
Romans 6:16"Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?"Obedience vs. Disobedience
Isaiah 1:3"The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's stall, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand."Lack of knowledge of God
Hosea 5:4"Their deeds do not allow them to return to their God. For a spirit of whoredom is in them, and they do not know the LORD."Spirit of whoredom, Not knowing the Lord
Proverbs 29:1"He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing."Sudden destruction from stubbornness
Luke 15:7"Just so, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."God's desire for repentance
Galatians 5:1"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery."Yoke of slavery
Romans 12:2"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."Transformed mind needed

Hosea 4 verses

Hosea 4 16 Meaning

Hosea 4:16 speaks of Israel's stubborn rebellion, likening it to a stubborn heifer. Because of their unfaithfulness and rejection of God's guidance, they are compared to a heifer that stubbornly goes its own way, refusing to be properly yoked for productive work. This stubbornness leads them to wander and face consequences.

Hosea 4 16 Context

This verse is found in the Book of Hosea, a prophet who ministered in the northern kingdom of Israel during a time of significant moral and spiritual decay, particularly under King Jeroboam II. Hosea's message is one of judgment for Israel's persistent sin, primarily their idolatry and unfaithfulness to God, likened to adultery in his marriage with the unfaithful Gomer.

The immediate context of chapter 4 reveals God's indictment against Israel. He accuses them of a lack of knowledge of God, the prevalence of lying, murder, theft, adultery, and bloodshed. Priests and prophets have also fallen into corruption, leading the people astray. This verse acts as a summary indictment of their rebellious nature, emphasizing their refusal to follow God's lead. The comparison to a heifer highlights their unyielding will, making them unsuitable for God's purpose and exposing them to severe consequences.

Hosea 4 16 Word Analysis

  • For (כִּי - ki): This conjunction introduces a reason or cause, explaining why God's judgment is coming or why the following description is given.
  • Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל - Yisrael): Refers to the northern ten tribes, the covenant people of God, who are currently in rebellion.
  • is like (כְּמוֹ - kĕmō): A preposition of likeness or comparison.
  • a stubborn (פָּרוֹת - parōt): This word translates to "heifers" or "young cows." In Hebrew idiom, a heifer that is unaccustomed to the yoke or refuses to be yoked symbolizes stubbornness and a wild, untamed nature. It contrasts with an ox or cow trained to work.
  • heifer (פָּרוֹת - parōt): (Plural form, used collectively here) A young female cow, not yet accustomed to labor or the yoke. Its natural inclination is to wander or to be difficult to control.
  • now (וְעַתָּה - wəʿattâ): "And now," indicating a transition to present action or consequence.
  • will (יַפְּשִׁיטֵנוּ - yappəšîṭēnû): "He will strip them," "he will let loose," or "he will set free." In this context, it implies God releasing them or allowing them to go their own way, much like setting an untamed animal loose. It's a passive release leading to exposure and judgment.
  • keep them (יִרְעֶה - yirʿeh): This verb, meaning "to pasture," "to feed," or "to tend," here takes on a more passive and possibly ironic sense. Instead of tending them as sheep for protection, God will allow them to "graze" or "wander" freely, like lambs without a shepherd in a vast, potentially dangerous field, implying exposure to ruin. The word itself can be neutral, but the context here gives it a negative connotation of abandonment to wandering.
  • like (כְּ - kĕ): Another preposition of likeness.
  • a lamb (שֶׂה - śeh): A young sheep. In this contrast, a lamb signifies vulnerability and dependence on a shepherd.
  • in (בְּ - bĕ): Preposition indicating location.
  • a large (מִרְעֶה - mirʿeh): "A pasture," "a place of feeding." Combined with "lamb," it signifies a wide, open space, emphasizing vulnerability due to lack of guidance or protection.

Words Group Analysis:

  • "stubborn heifer" (פָּרוֹת סוֹרְרָה - parōt sōrĕrâ): The imagery powerfully depicts a nation that has rejected God's Law and Prophets (the "yoke" of His guidance). They are like an unbroken animal, unsuited for productive spiritual or national life under God. Their resistance to God’s control results in their wild wandering.
  • "now will the Lord keep them like a lamb in a large field": This is a statement of consequences. God is not keeping them securely in His pasture with divine care. Instead, He is allowing them to be dispersed in a wide, unguarded area, vulnerable and lost. The contrast between a "stubborn heifer" (resisting guidance) and "a lamb in a large field" (exposed and without a shepherd) highlights their pitiable and lost state due to their own choices.

Hosea 4 16 Bonus Section

The imagery of the unbroken heifer resonates with agricultural practices of the time. Yoking an animal was essential for harnessing its strength for work. An unbroken animal was seen as useless for labor and prone to escape or damage. Israel's refusal to be "yoked" to God’s will rendered them unfit for their divine purpose as a nation and ultimately made them liable for destruction. This verse can also be seen in the light of Gentile nations, who, like untamed beasts, would eventually be used by God to chastise His people. However, the primary application is Israel's own obstinate heart. The stark contrast with a "lamb" being left in a "large field" powerfully evokes the loss of divine protection that comes with apostasy. This highlights that while stubbornness leads to freedom from constraint, it often results in being lost and unprotected in a dangerous environment.

Hosea 4 16 Commentary

Israel's history is marked by cycles of rebellion and repentance. Their stubbornness, illustrated by the analogy of a heifer refusing the yoke, signifies a conscious rejection of God's covenant, His laws, and His prophets who sought to guide them back to Him. They desired freedom from divine discipline but ended up enslaved to sin and exposed to destruction. The prophecy contrasts this with God's care for His faithful sheep, likening them to a lamb in a spacious field implies abandonment. They will be left to wander, lacking the protection and guidance that comes from obedience to the Master Shepherd. Their self-willed departure from God leads to their dispersion and vulnerability to forces that will devour them, ultimately a consequence of their refusal to accept God's intended path.