Hosea 5 15

Hosea 5:15 kjv

I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.

Hosea 5:15 nkjv

I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me."

Hosea 5:15 niv

Then I will return to my lair until they have borne their guilt and seek my face? in their misery they will earnestly seek me."

Hosea 5:15 esv

I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their distress earnestly seek me.

Hosea 5:15 nlt

Then I will return to my place
until they admit their guilt and turn to me.
For as soon as trouble comes,
they will earnestly search for me."

Hosea 5 verses

Hosea 5 15 Meaning

When they are in anguish, they will cry to me:

"Come, let us go back to the LORD,for he inflicted the wound, and he will heal us;he struck us, and he will bind up our wounds.After two days he will revive us;on the third day he will restore us,that we may live in his presence.

Hosea 5 15 Context

Hosea 5:15 describes a crucial turning point in God's judgment upon Israel. Following a series of pronouncements detailing their unfaithfulness and the consequences of their sin, God declares His intention to withdraw His presence from them. He will pursue them in their sin, not in a manner of seeking to convert them in that moment, but as a lion that tears and rends, with no one to deliver. This withdrawal is presented as a period of severe tribulation and separation.

The preceding verses (Hosea 5:8-14) vividly portray God's actions of judgment: "Blow the trumpet in Gibeah, and the horn in Ramah; sound an alarm in Beth-aven; Benjamin is attacked!" God brings disaster upon His own people due to their persistent idolatry and covenant breaking. He is actively engaged in their destruction, not absent.

However, this verse marks a shift. It is an oracle of God about a future time when, after enduring severe divine chastisement, Israel will collectively acknowledge their suffering as being from God and will earnestly seek His return. This future recognition of God's hand in their affliction is what will precipitate their cry for restoration, anticipating healing and revival. It speaks to a prophetic hope of a future repentant remnant.

Hosea 5 15 Word Analysis

• "When" (עֵת - 'et): Time, season, moment. Here it signifies a specific future period or condition.
• "they are in anguish" (בְּצָרָה – beTsarah): In distress, trouble, narrowness, confinement. It points to severe suffering and hardship, a state of being oppressed or in difficulty.
• "they will cry" (יִקְרָא – yiqra'): To call out, call aloud. Implies a desperate, earnest plea, not a casual remark.
• "to me" (אֵלַי – 'elai): Towards Me. Directing their appeal specifically to God.
• "Come" (בֹּאוּ – bo'u): Imperative plural. An invitation or urging to assemble and act together.
• "let us go back" (נָשׁוּבָה – nashuvah): Let us return. A hortative (encouraging) form, expressing a collective resolve to repent and return.
• "to the LORD" (אֶל־יהוָה – 'el-Yahweh): To Jehovah, the covenant God. Emphasizes returning to the proper object of worship and covenant relationship.
• "for" (כִּי – kiy): Because, indeed. Introduces the reason or explanation for their return.
• "he has torn" (פָּרַע – para'): To tear, pluck, let loose. This speaks of forceful, destructive action.
• "us" (אֹתָנוּ – otanu): Direct object pronoun.
• "he will heal" (יִרְפָּא – yirpa'): He will mend, cure, restore. The healing is from the same One who wounded.
• "us" (אֹתָנוּ – otanu):
• "he struck" (חָבַל – chabal): To act wickedly, corrupt, also to hurt, wound, damage. Conveys the idea of causing injury or affliction.
• "us" (אֹתָנוּ – otanu):
• "he will bind up" (יֶחְבֹּשׁ – yechboth): To bind, tie up, dress (a wound). The action of caring for and dressing wounds, bringing relief.
• "our wounds" (מַכֹּתֵנוּ – makkoteinu): Our blows, wounds, stripes. Refers to the injuries sustained.
• "After two days" (שְׁנַיִם יוֹם – shnayim yom): Two days. This phrase carries significant prophetic weight, often signifying a period of waiting or transition before a definitive intervention or revival, as seen in prophetic patterns (e.g., Hos 6:2).
• "he will revive" (יְחַיֵּנוּ – yechayyenhu): He will cause to live, make alive, restore to life. Indicates resurrection or resuscitation.
• "us" (אֹתָנוּ – otanu):
• "on the third day" (בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי – bayyom haShlishiy): On the third day. Similar to "after two days," this often points to a swift and decisive completion of God's work of restoration, alluding to the ultimate resurrection and vindication.
• "he will restore" (יְקִימֵנוּ – yequimenu): He will raise up, establish, restore. Implies complete recovery and establishment.
• "us" (אֹתָנוּ – otanu):
• "that we may live" (וְנִחְיֶה – venichyeh): And we shall live. The purpose of the revival and restoration is life in God's presence.
• "in his presence" (לְפָנָיו – lephanav): Before Him, in His sight. To dwell in His manifested presence, a state of restoration and communion.

Group of words analysis: The core of the verse is the confession of an afflicted people acknowledging that their suffering comes from the very God they had forsaken. Their cry for return is fueled by the recognition of His power to both inflict and heal, and a belief in a prophetic timetable of revival, ultimately pointing to restored communion with God.

Hosea 5 15 Bonus Section

The phrasing "After two days... on the third day" echoes prophetic patterns in the Old Testament. This sequence often symbolizes a brief period of divine action followed by full restoration. For instance, it appears in Hosea 6:2. Some scholars connect this imagery to the threefold day mentioned in the New Testament as representing Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, a supreme act of healing and revival for humanity. The repentant Israelite recognized that only the one who had the power to destroy also had the power to restore. Their confession highlights a desperate need that God alone can meet, emphasizing the inseparable nature of divine judgment and divine mercy within God's redemptive plan. This verse underscores the deep desire for God’s presence, which is the ultimate healing for a people alienated by sin.

Hosea 5 15 Commentary

Hosea 5:15 is a poignant declaration of God's unwavering commitment to His covenant, even amidst His judgment. The prophet describes a future moment when Israel, having experienced the full weight of God's wrath for their sin, will cry out to Him in distress. Their confession is remarkably astute: they attribute their wounds and afflictions directly to God, acknowledging His sovereign hand in their suffering. This recognition is the precursor to their plea for His return.

This confession anticipates Hosea's subsequent message of hope (Hosea 6:1-3), where the repentant will say, "Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds." The structure of their plea—from wound to healing, from strike to binding up—reflects a deep understanding of God's twofold action: judgment and mercy. The mention of "two days" and "the third day" suggests a finite period of suffering followed by swift revival, often interpreted prophetically as a symbol of resurrection and ultimate restoration. This implies that even in His fiercest judgment, God is orchestrating a plan for future life and presence. This future repentance and revival are ultimately fulfilled in Christ, who bears our wounds and diseases and promises life to those who follow Him.